


Lost and Found

by Trashland (Destieltrashland)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Space, Friends to Lovers, Frottage, Hand Jobs, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, Medical Conditions, Minor Character Death, Mutual Pining, Platonic Cuddling, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-08
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-08-20 06:12:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 22,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8238875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Destieltrashland/pseuds/Trashland
Summary: When he reached the hatch door he looked through the small window, shining the light from his helmet inside. The cargo area was cleaner than the front of the ship, due to being sealed off from the tear in the hull, and it still held a sizable number of items within. The items floated under nets keeping them tethered to the floor. “What strange readings?” he asked as he pointed his own tricorder inside. “Power signatures and –“ she paused, pressing buttons on the screen as if to confirm her assessment, “life signs.”-----
Castiel and crew find something unexpected while recovering an ancient spaceship. Dean and Sam struggle to adjust to life 300 years in the future.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the _Space Seed_ episode of Star Trek TOS. Some Star Trek language used but not a Star Trek AU. All the science is made up. Not Beta'd. 
> 
> S/O to [Moontourist](http://archiveofourown.org/users/moontourist/pseuds/moontourist) for being my muse - as always :)

“Sam, just take Jess and get in the damn tubes! Don’t argue with me!” Dean shouted. The alarms blaring overhead made it hard to hear and he hoped Sam could make out his words. 

“You haven’t even finished testing them yet!” Sam shouted back. He wiped at his eyes and coughed, the smoke was building up quickly. 

Dean growled and shoved at Sam’s shoulder, pushing him out of the cockpit and towards the back of the ship. “They’ll work, Sammy. Trust me.” He said. Sam gave him a short nod, his eyes wide with fear. Looking at them, Dean could see the small boy he’d carried out of the fire all those years ago. “Just go, Sam. I’m right behind you!” 

Sam left, coughing and stumbling into the cargo hold. 

Dean went back to the control panel, pressing buttons and flipping switches. “Mayday, Mayday. This is the cargo ship Impala; we’ve been hit by something. There’s smoke and we’re losing pressure.” Dean stopped to cough, his throat burning and rough. He turned to the radio again. “Mayday, Mayday. This is the cargo ship Impala. We’ve been hit by something, fuck, I don’t know what. There’s smoke and we’re losing pressure. If someone hears this – Tell Bobby Singer in Sioux Falls, South Dakota that I’m putting the crew in the tubes. He’ll know what that means.” 

He rattled off their coordinates, hoping the display panel was still showing them correctly, before he put the message on repeat and opened it to all frequencies. 

He shut the door between the front of the ship and the back as he passed through it and the smoke immediately blocked out the small window between the two. The alarm sounds faded to a dull roar in the background.

Sam and Jess were sitting in their respective tubes, both stripped down to their undergarments. Dean could see a line of soot at Sam’s collar where his shirt had been. Jess had tear streaks down her cheeks and Dean felt a pang of guilt hit him in the chest. He should never have let Sam bring her along! 

He plastered on what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “Alright gorgeous, ladies first.” He said as he came towards her. She looked at Sam, mouthing the words _I love you_ , before laying down. 

The tubes were small, fit to hold one average sized person in each. Dean had taken the dimensions from a coffin but that thought was too morbid for this moment, so he pushed it out of his mind. 

“It’s gonna be fine sweetheart.” He said as he leaned over the tube and buckled the straps across Jess’ slim waist. “If you keep crying like that, I’m gonna start thinkin’ you don’t trust me,” he said with an exaggerated pout.

She let out a shaky laugh and wiped at her face. “Shut up, Dean.” 

He grinned at her. “Ok, I’m gonna close this and latch it. Once I do it’s going to get real cold, real quick. Might be uncomfortable for a minute but it doesn’t hurt, ok? I’ve done it before. Then you’ll just go to sleep and when you wake up, someone will be here to take us home.” 

The girl nodded, her blonde curls shifting around her face. “Alright then. Sweet dreams.” He said as he pulled the glass lid down and settled it into place. He could see her chest rising and falling rapidly, probably a bit of claustrophobia, he thought and his stomach dropped a little in anticipation. He clicked the latch closed, turning the dial on the outside and setting the timer as far as it would go. He didn’t want the tubes opening too soon. 

He moved to Sam. “Ready to go, Sammy?” 

Sam was staring at the other tube, concern etched into his features. “She’ll be alright?” he said, his voice softer than normal.

Dean felt another wave of guilt but he pressed it down. “Yeah, Sam. We’re all gonna be alright. Now lay down. You’re lucky I thought to build one of these things in extra-long or else you’d be sleeping with your knees tucked up to your chin.” 

Sam didn’t laugh; instead he reached out and pulled Dean into an awkward hug. The side of the tube dug into Dean’s belly as he leaned over it but he didn’t care. 

“I love you, Dean.” Sam said as he pulled away. He wiped at his eyes with one hand. 

Dean’s throat felt tight but he covered it with a cough. “Yeah, yeah, no chick flick moments. We’ll be back home in no time. Hell, Bobby probably has a ship headed our way as we speak. You know the kind of connections he has. Lay down, take a nap. You could use some beauty rest anyway.”

Sam rolled his eyes and nodded. He lay back, settling his hands on his stomach. 

“Alright, like I told her – it’s going to be freeze-your-ass-off cold for a minute but then you’ll go to sleep, ok?”

“Yeah, ok.” 

Dean reached for the handle. “Night, Bitch. See you one the other side.”

Sam cracked a half smile. “Night Jerk.”


	2. Part One

Castiel sipped his tea, blowing softly over the mug to cool it. The food replicator always made it too hot but he supposed, as complaints go, that was a small one. He stared out the dining room window at the stars and the darkness blanketing the ship. Other ships, bigger ones, had the option of putting landscapes outside the windows – images of trees and plains, rock outcroppings, and multicolored skies from any number of worlds. This ship was too small and too simple for any of that though and Castiel was glad. Some people found the vastness of space overwhelming but Castiel thought it was soothing. Feeling like a speck in a giant pool took some of the pressure off of his shoulders. 

The doors to the dining room opened with a whoosh and Gabriel stepped in. He grinned wide when he saw Castiel but Castiel pretended not to notice. 

“Good morning Cassie-o-pia! How’s my favorite little brother doing?”

Castiel shuddered at the nickname and turned to look at his brother. Gabriel was dressed in a loose pair of lounge pants and a tunic, both in a garishly loud shade of yellow. 

“What do you want Gabriel?”

The other man was pressing buttons on the food replicator now, making little cooing noises every time he made a selection. 

“Well, rumor is we’re picking up a ship today. A small one, very old – maybe two or three hundred years, and I was thinking – you probably need an extra set of hands for a job like that.” 

Gabriel came over, tray in hand and flopped into the seat across from Castiel. His tray had two plates on it, one with a stack of waffles (chocolate chip if Castiel knew his brother) smothered in whipped cream, and the other piled high with strips of bacon. Between them was a mug of coffee, turned a light brown color with all the sugar and cream in it.   
He took a generous sip. “Am I right?”

Gabriel cut into the waffles, bringing a large bite to his mouth and moaning with delight as he chewed. Castiel stared, slightly disgusted. 

“Are you right about what?” he said. 

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “About you needing an extra set of hands today.”

Castiel thought about it. If what Gabriel heard was true, a small antique ship like that would take at least two weeks to dismantle and bring inside. They would need to be extra careful, examining and collecting relics and parts that could be sold to collectors. They would need two people, maybe three for a job like that, depending on the size of the thing. 

“Maybe. I haven’t received any orders yet, so I don’t know the actual specs of the job or who has been assigned. If you are asking me to recommend you, I could do that,” Gabriel’s face lit up around another mouthful of sugar laden waffle, “Under one condition-“ Gabriel’s face faltered a little, his smile dropping at the edges. Castiel had to withhold a laugh. 

“Wha’s ‘at?” Gabriel said, still chewing. 

“Enough with the nicknames. I am a thirty year old man and I do not want to be referred to as Cassie, Cassie-o-pia, Cassandra, Sasstiel, or anything else you might come up with from now until eternity. My name is Castiel.” He said with a pointed look in his brother’s direction.

Gabriel had studied early earth history since they were children, which was probably why he was jumping at the chance to go onboard the old vessel, and Castiel was hoping this gave him enough leverage for what he wanted. Gabriel looked him over, obviously sizing up the offer. 

“Do we have a deal?”

“Sure Cassie-Castiel” he corrected himself, “Whatever you say.” 

The rest of breakfast went by in silence as Gabriel practically inhaled his waffles and then left through the dining room doors with a wave. 

Castiel sipped the tea, which was a little cold now, and waited for his orders to come in. He wondered how a ship as old as Gabriel said could still be out here after all these years. Why hadn’t anyone else picked it up by now? It was rare to find one so old; most of the ships and debris they collected had been made and lost in the last fifty years. 

His communicator beeped and he looked at the screen. Sure enough, he was to lead a team to retrieve, recover, and salvage a ship estimated to be three hundred years old. He looked at the attached pictures and computer generated schematics as he finished his cup. 

The vessel was approximately eighty five feet in length, split into three sections; the forward section where the controls were, a small connecting section in between used for passengers, and the largest section in the back, where cargo was held. Castiel had studied plans for a vessel of this size before and knew that they had primarily been used to ship cargo from earth to the space stations surrounding the planet and to the colonies on the moon. Again, he wondered how a ship like this had gotten out so far and how it had not been found until now. 

\-----------

The ship itself was boxy, lacking all the sleek lines and subtle curves of modern ships, painted flat gray with the words CS-IMPALA emblazoned on all sides. It looked worse for wear, covered in dents and scratches, and sporting a generously sized hole in the hull of the middle section. The light from their small transport vehicle beamed inside and reflected off something within. 

“What’s an _im-pal-ah_?” Anna asked, sounding out the word. Her voice was clear and bright through the speaker in Castiel’s helmet and he turned to smile at her. 

“It was an animal on earth, something like a deer, but they went extinct about a century ago.” 

Anna made a confused face and then shrugged. 

“It was also the name of a car.” Gabriel chimed in. 

Castiel looked over at him. Through his helmet, he could see a bright blue hair clip holding Gabriel bangs back on one side, it sparkled in the light – even in the uniform; he still managed to stand out. 

“What?” he asked. 

“The implala was a type of car, mostly sold in North America.” He said, turning to Anna. “They made them for years, changing the design slightly each year but keeping the name. I’m guessing they named it that because the vehicles were fast, by their standards anyway, like the animal must have been.” 

Castiel nodded, intrigued, and made a note to look this information up when they got back later. 

They set a tractor beam to hold the small ship steady as they crossed from their transport vessel to the cargo ship. The entered through the hatch in the front section – Anna used her tricorder to disengage the locking mechanism and together they pulled the hatch open. The inside of the ship was covered in a fine layer of dust – particles picked up along its journey no doubt, and it was completely depressurized. 

“Engage your boots.” Castiel said, pushing the respective buttons on the panel strapped to the arm of his suit. His boots came to life with a faint hum and he felt the weight of them immediately as they anchored him to the floor of the vessel. 

The helm had two chairs, old fashioned but sturdy looking, each bolted to the floor in front of their respective panels and screens – all dark now. A pane of polycarbonate looked out on the stars in front of each seat. In front of one of the chairs a small photograph was wedged under the glass of a display panel. Castiel removed it gently, being careful to only touch the edges. It was worn and faded but he could make out a pretty blonde woman with her arms around a young boy. Maybe this was a crew member’s family? That thought made him sad but he pushed it away and tucked the photograph into a protective case before placing it in his bag. 

Walking carefully forward, he ran his tricorder over the interior walls, finding them to be made of the same aluminum alloy plates as the outer skin, riveted at regular intervals to the support structures underneath. This design allowed the hull to be strong and yet flexible at the same time. Repairs were easier because panels were small and could be replaced individually as needed. It was very innovative for the time and Castiel was impressed by it.

Gabriel made a small excited noise into the headset and Castiel turned in his direction. He was in the middle section, holding onto the door of a storage device mounted to the wall, previously closed, and excitedly pulling items out of it. The items, small silver pouches from what Castiel could see, floated in the space between them. 

“Do you know what these are?” he said his voice beaming at them as he packed the items into his bag. “They’re food rations, Castiel! I can use the replicator to analyze them and maybe we can get some new recipes!”

Gabriel had been collecting ancient earth recipes for years and had programmed quite a few into the replicator. Castiel could understand the appeal; some of his favorite foods were from Gabriel’s recipe banks. 

“Castiel, I’m getting an unusual reading from the cargo bay.” Anna’s voice cut in. She was at the far end of the section, near the tear in the hull, her tricorder beeping methodically as she swept it over the hatch door. 

He headed her direction, still surveying the area as he went. Many of the items that were probably housed in this section were gone, most likely when the ship depressurized. He could see faint outlines on the walls and there were sheared off bolts in places along the floor. A few large storage devices remained, their doors closed tight. He left them for Gabriel, who would remove and catalogue each item he found. 

When he reached the hatch door he looked through the small window, shining the light from his helmet inside. The cargo area was cleaner than the front of the ship, due to being sealed off from the tear in the hull, and it still held a sizable number of items within. The items floated under nets keeping them tethered to the floor. 

“What strange readings?” he asked as he pointed his own tricorder inside. 

“Power signatures and –“ she paused, pressing buttons on the screen as if to confirm her assessment, “life signs.” 

Castiel’s head whipped around to face her.


	3. Chapter 3

The second hatch door proved slightly more difficult than the first but eventually Anna was able to open it and let them inside. The air here was heavy or at least it felt that way. The tricorders beeped as they all swept the cargo bay. 

“There.” Anna said pointing to the far left wall. They moved that direction, walking in tandem and picking their way through the bobbing masses of cargo. Gabriel had his phaser out and ready at his side. 

Metal cylinders, four of them, laying on their sides end to end, each six to seven feet long and three feet wide, were bolted to the floor along the wall. Between them a series of small generators whirred softly. Anna knelt by these devices as she ran diagnostics and took photographs. 

“Castiel, this is amazing. How are they even running?” she said, her voice trailing off as her tricorder beeped with another reading. “They’re cryo-chambers, or something like it. How? This technology wasn’t even possible then, it was just in the beginning stages.”

Castiel approached the cryo-chambers cautiously, watching as the waves on the screen became stronger, more pronounced in their slow march. The chambers were made of the same aluminum alloy as the ship and inside, they contained living material frozen into stasis. He leaned over one of them, wiping his glove across the window in the top.

Inside, distorted by the glass, clouded now with age and by frost along its edges, was a man. 

Two other chambers also contained people, although one of them had been damaged at some point and the body inside showed no signs of life. Anna pointed to a loose box floating near the ceiling and suggested it as a possible cause of the damage. 

They stood in silence for a few minutes, each one staring at the others and trying to decide their next move. 

“Now, I know you aren’t a doctor but you are the closest thing we have on board. What do you think their chances are, Gabriel? If we tried to revive them, I mean.” 

Gabriel looked serious for a change as he came forward, touching dials and examining the chambers themselves. 

“Honestly, I don’t know. I’d have to look at them more closely. I can barely make anything out through this glass. The chambers appear to be undamaged though, the readings look good.” 

“The generators are still running well,” Anna added, “If the technology was anything like ours is today, even in a cruder form, they might still be alright.” 

Castiel nodded, considering this. What was the alternative; just leave them in the chambers? They had been contracted to dismantle this ship and bring it in and he knew his brother well enough to know that Michael was not going to break a contract just to leave some strangers in their cryo-chambers. Especially not on an antique ship like this one; the parts of which would probably bring in top dollar with collectors. 

“Ok. Let’s try it. Anna, if we unbolt the chambers and move them, can we successfully move the generators as well? I want to wait to open them until we’re back in the sick bay, so that Gabriel will have his equipment.” 

She looked thoughtful for a moment before answering, “Yeah, we should be able to do that. As long as we strap the generators in place so the wires don’t come undone, they should be fine.” 

“Alright then, you two get them ready. I’m going to call Michael.”

They each gave him a sympathetic look before going about their assigned tasks.  
_____

Sick bay was a medium sized room in the middle of the ship outfitted with three single person beds and all the medical equipment they had onboard. Gabriel had become the ships medic by default, as he was the only one with any training or bedside manner. He took his position seriously though, even if he had updated the sterile room with framed pictures of landscapes, old 21st and 22nd century movie posters, and other random bric-a-brac that he could find a way to adhere to the walls. Basically, the room had become an extension of his cabin (albeit a much cleaner and more organized version). 

They brought the cryo-chambers in and just managed to squeeze them side by side at the foot of the beds. Gabriel’s face was somewhere between shock and awe as they turned the dials, released the latches and opened the first chamber. A plume of frosty air crept out of the chamber and across the floor when the glass was removed. Castiel and Gabriel both leaned in. 

The man inside was in his late twenties or early thirties with light colored hair, a strong jaw, and sculpted features. Castiel’s first thought was to wonder if everyone had been this beautiful in this man’s time. His skin was pale from the cold but Castiel could see a faint dusting of freckles across his cheeks and nose. He resisted the urge to reach out and run his fingertips across them. So many people spent time off world these days that freckles were a rare occurrence. Castiel had never seen them in person. 

Gabriel reached in with gloved hands and lifted the man’s plain white shirt to attach a monitor to his chest. He wolf whistled as he did it. 

“Damn. He might be frozen but this guy is hot!” he proclaimed, grinning in Castiel’s direction. 

Though he wouldn’t say it out loud, Castiel agreed. The man had a toned body, stocky and broad in his shoulders, with a slight softness to his stomach. His legs bowed out at the knees in a way that Castiel found charming. 

“Grab me that hydro-blanket behind you.” Gabriel said as he watched the heart monitor screen. The steady wave Castiel had seen earlier was still thrumming away. 

He brought over the hydro-blanket, wrapping the device around the man’s body and tucking it in at his neck and feet. The blanket would use warm water to slowly bring the body back up to temperature while Gabriel monitored the man’s life signs. 

They moved to the next chamber, opening it the same way and waiting for the cold air to dissipate. This time Gabriel only uttered a hushed “Well I’ll be damned” as he looked at the second occupant. 

This chamber held another man, younger than the first. He was tall, almost touching the top and bottom of the chamber, with brown hair that reached below his chin. He was handsome and bore a slight resemblance to the man in the other chamber, at least to Castiel’s eyes. Again, he wondered if everyone in this century was this good looking or if these two men were exceptional. 

His large hands were folded across his stomach and Gabriel had to tug gently at his shirt to get it out from under them. Castiel heard him swallow with an audible click and cast him a concerned glance. Gabriel just shook his head, a faint blush creeping up his cheek.

“He’s beautiful. They both are.” Castiel said, hoping to alleviate any embarrassment his brother was feeling. Gabriel nodded as he continued his work. 

They tucked a blanket around this body too, having to leave a few inches of his ankles and his feet exposed when the blanket wouldn’t reach all the way down. Gabriel smiled at that and let out a small laugh. 

“He’s a sasquatch.” He said playfully. 

Castiel smiled at him; though he was only vaguely aware of the term he guessed that in this context it was an endearment of some sort. 

The two heart monitors beeped softly in the quiet room. Gabriel attached small round discs to each man’s forehead and temples and another screen came to life beside him. 

“Brain waves,” he said, motioning to the screen. “Even if we can get their bodies back, who knows what their minds will be like? These days people take precautions, have training before going into one of these things.”

Castiel nodded - the mood in the room suddenly solemn. Gabriel was right, of course, they might be able to revive these men but what would they be like? Would they be able to handle the changes that had occurred in the last three hundred years? Could they adapt? Would they even have the brain power left to understand what had happened to them? 

Castiel was struck with a sudden realization; everyone these men knew was dead. Castiel couldn’t even comprehend waking up to find out everyone he knew and loved was gone, just like that, in an instant. He turned horror-struck eyes on Gabriel.


	4. Chapter 4

Five hours later, Castiel was supervising the cataloging of the last of the cargo from the Impala’s cargo bay. So far most of it had turned out to be antique machine parts, small appliances, and some very old, very expired food rations. He rubbed a gloved hand over the back of his neck, pressing hard to feel the motion through his suit. He was tired. The earlier excitement of the day paired with manual labor all afternoon had worn him out. Plus, he’d forgotten to stop and eat, again, and now his stomach wouldn’t stop growling. 

He dreamed about a hot meal and a cup of tea as the transport vehicle wound its way back to the ship. Next to him, Samandrial and Hannah were talking animatedly about everything they had found on board. He wasn’t paying much attention to the conversation, letting the rise and fall of their voices soothe him as he contemplated the two men. Michael had urged discretion, saying that he didn’t want the crew distracted until they knew whether or not the men would even wake up and what condition they were in if they did. Castiel hadn’t argued with him. He knew his younger siblings, all of whom worked on the ship, and they were given to rumor and gossip on a good day. He couldn’t imagine the disruption a discovery like this would cause. 

“There was a bag in the middle section, full of old clothes and stuff. Inside it, I found a pornography magazine and a small bottle of alcohol! Can you believe they let the crew bring that stuff with them?” Samandrial’s voice cut through Castiel’s daze. 

“Wait, what?”

“I found a bag with personal belongings in it from the crew.” Samandrial said, looking sheepish. Castiel ignored the look, focusing on Samandrial’s words instead. If the two men did wake up, having some of their things around might help the transition. If he was in their position, he would take comfort in familiar things. 

“Samandrial, when we get back, I want you to find that bag and bring it to me, ok? As soon as possible. And check the inventory list, if there were any other bags or collections of personal items, bring them too.” 

Samandrial nodded, his face full of confusion, but Castiel had no doubt the boy would do as asked. 

He was in the dining room, sipping his too hot tea and eating his evening meal when Samandrial appeared. In one hand he held a large green bag, long and cylindrical with handles on the long side, and in the other a bag that might have once been blue with straps on the back. He set them down on the floor at Castiel’s feet. 

“Here,” he said, “Like you asked. I signed them out to you as well, I hope that’s ok.” 

“That’s fine Samandrial. Thank you. Have you eaten?” 

Samandrial nodded and Castiel dismissed him with a wave and a smile. Samandrial was only seventeen but Michael already had him working with the crew. He said it would build character and keep him from getting into trouble. Castiel didn’t really see what trouble Samandrial could get into aboard the ship but as always, he deferred to Michael’s judgement. 

He finished his meal while sneaking peaks at the bags on the floor. As soon as he finished eating and drank down the last dregs of his tea he scooped up the bags and headed for sick bay. 

Gabriel was laying on the third bed when he arrived, the small screen of his tablet balanced against his knees. He was eating something out of a brightly colored package that Castiel guessed was candy of some kind. Gabriel had always had a sweet tooth. 

Castiel came in quietly, setting the bags down by the door and approaching the chambers. He could hear the steady beep of the machinery and the hum of the hydro blankets. 

“Hey Cassie, whad’ya bring me?” Gabriel said. He removed the small ear buds from his ears and let his tablet drop to the bed beside him as he spoke. Castiel scowled at the nickname, sighing inwardly that their deal hadn’t even lasted a day. 

“We found them on the ship. I think they probably belong to these men and I wanted them to have their things when they wake up.” 

Gabriel nodded. “Good thinking.” He swung his legs off the bed and stretched. “Well, their vital signs look good. I took some blood earlier and ran it through a few tests. Everything looks ok. Blood sugar is low but that’s to be expected. Their body temps are going up at a steady rate. Look, lover boy here is even getting some pink in his cheeks.” He motioned to the shorter man and Castiel leaned over the chamber to look. 

Sure enough, the man’s cheeks had a slight pink tinge to them now, as did his lips. His freckles stood out even more against the newly acquired color and Castiel balled his hand into a fist at his side to keep from reaching out. 

“And the other one?” he asked, hoping Gabriel hadn’t noticed the gesture. 

“Sleeping beauty over there is doing just fine.” He said. 

Castiel moved to the other chamber and agreed with the assessment. This man’s cheeks were also tinged pink and now Castiel could see the soft fringe of his eyelashes against his them. Absurdly, he was suddenly seized with the desire to know what color their eyes were. He shook away the silly thought. 

“Are you going to stay in here all night?” 

Gabriel shrugged. “Probably. Michael doesn’t want me to tell Inias yet and he’s the only other person who can even kind of run this stuff.” He motioned to the equipment around him. “Plus, I want to be here when they wake up, you know?” 

Castiel nodded. Part of him felt the exact same way. 

“Anyway, it’s not so bad. The bed is almost as good as mine. I’ve got my tablet to watch movies and the mini replicator in here can make all the snacks I like.” He shrugged again. 

“Well, let me know if anything changes. Even if you have to wake me up, ok?” 

Castiel knew that Gabriel understood the importance of this statement. Usually everyone on board was under direct orders not to wake him up for anything short of someone dying or the ship crashing. Castiel did not like to be disturbed while he was sleeping. 

Gabriel gave him a dramatic salute and a wave as he walked back out the door.   
_____

Soft lips pressed against his own, a slip of tongue darting out to tease him. Large hands with calloused palms caressed his back and sides, cupped his ass, and lifted him from the mattress. He groaned when the kisses stopped and then again when they resumed on his chest, ribs, lower belly. Those rough fingers dug into his hips, holding him still and a series of small whimpers broke free from his mouth as he tried desperately to push his hips forward, up, up, up, towards the warm breath ghosting over him. 

A shrill noise caught him off guard, making him jump, and the hands slipped away. He groaned in displeasure at the loss of attention and then again when the shrill noise continued. 

As the dream dissipated, Castiel turned, burying his head under his pillow and squeezing his eyes shut tighter. His erection was trapped against the mattress and he gave a few experimental presses of his hips. The friction was dry and not at all what he wanted but little waves of pleasure still zinged through his nervous system. 

The noise sounded again and Castiel resisted the urge to throw his pillow at it. It was his communicator, turned up to the highest volume and sitting on his bedside shelf. Short of a disaster, the fact that it was ringing could only mean one thing – they were awake.


	5. Chapter 5

As he stepped up to the sick bay door he wondered again if he should have put his uniform on. No, he decided, you want to look welcoming, not authoritative. He smoothed a hand down his white button up shirt and adjusted the waist of his slacks. As the door opened he heard Gabriel laugh. 

Gabriel was standing next to one of the beds, his medical tricorder in hand, a bright grin covering his face. Before Castiel could speak, a rough voice said, “Hey Gabe, I think you’ve got company.” Castiel’s heart skipped a beat at the voice and he felt heat rise at his collar. The first man they had found was sitting up on the bed, a blanket tucked around his legs and a small smile on his lips. 

“Cassie! Come meet my new friend Dean. Dean-o this is my little brother Cassie- er, Castiel.” He cupped his hand around his mouth and loudly whispered, “He just woke up, so give him a break if he’s grumpy.”

Castiel stepped up beside Gabriel and opened his mouth to acknowledge the greeting but his brain faltered. Green. The man’s eyes were a bright, clear, ridiculous green, unlike any Castiel had seen before. Dean gave him another small smile and Castiel cleared his throat. 

“Sorry, he’s right. I just woke up. It’s nice to meet you Dean, as Gabriel said, my name is Castiel. How are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling pretty good, all things considered. I can’t fucking believe we were out for so long – man, I mean, that’s what I designed the tubes for – you know- but to see that it actually worked is a trip.” 

“You designed them?” Castiel said, thinking back to Anna’s comment about the cryo-chambers being ahead of their time. 

Dean’s cheeks colored pink and he dipped his head. “Yeah, I mean I had some help from my brainy little brother over there,” he motioned to the bed next to his. Castiel hadn’t even noticed the other man had been moved until now. He was tucked under the blanket, his long legs reaching all the way to the end of the mattress. His eyes were closed, the silvery discs still attached to his forehead and temples. The machinery beeped softly beside him and a bag hanging from a pole dripped clear fluid into a vein in his arm. “And my uncle, guy named Bobby Singer, he was helping me too. They were kind of a family project.”

Castiel nodded absently and then a thought struck him. “Wait, is your last name Winchester?”

Dean looked surprised and nodded. 

“Holy shit.” Gabriel’s voice chimed in. 

“Yeah.” Castiel said. 

“What?” Dean replied. 

“The Winchester-Singer company produced the first commercially marketed cryogentic chambers in the world, along with a host of other things.”

“Yeah. The first prototype replicators were made by them too, right? The little ones that just made water?” 

Castiel nodded at his brother. 

“Wait, what?” Dean’s brow was furrowed with confusion as he watched the exchange between the two men. 

“You’re kind of famous Dean-o!” 

Over the next few hours they filled him in on the basic events of the past 300 years, using the tablet to help explain things. Dean was smarter than he gave himself credit for, quick and adaptable in a way that Castiel envied. He asked questions at a rate even Gabriel had a hard time keeping up with and he made jokes Castiel didn’t really understand. He and Gabriel bonded over twenty first century movies and music – apparently the posters on the wall had been a comforting thing for Dean when he first woke up and had helped cement his trust in Gabriel immediately. 

“You’re telling me they made five more Lethal Weapon movies?”

“Well, yeah but it was years later, so they were more like a reboot. Between you and me, they were all terrible.”

Dean shook his head and clicked his tongue in a sound of disapproval, “Cant mess with the classics, man.” 

They ate their morning meal together. Castiel watched as Dean tasted each item on his plate with wide eyes and small nods of his head. 

“Damn. It tastes just like the real thing! I can’t believe this. Bobby and I talked about something like this but I never thought –“ he trailed off. “We just wanted to help, you know? Bring water to places that didn’t have it or whatever. I never thought it would turn into this.”

“Yes, well, some would say your ideas paved the way to ending hunger throughout the world and the colonies.” Castiel said softly. Dean blushed again and ducked his head, picking up a large forkful of scrambled eggs and shoveling it into his mouth. He chewed quietly while Castiel sipped his tea. 

“So how long until Sam wakes up?” he said after their plates had been cleared. 

Gabriel shrugged. “I don’t know. His vital signs are good, body temperatures back to normal. I guess it’s kind of up to him at this point.” 

Dean was watching the other bed. Sam was Dean’s younger brother by four years and the person in the other cryo-chamber had been his girlfriend Jessica Moore. Dean had been visibly upset when they told him of her fate and both brothers had withdrawn for a while to give the man some space to grieve. Castiel could tell Dean blamed himself in some way but even though he didn’t agree, Castiel kept his mouth shut. There would be time later to explain what a miracle it was that he and Sam survived as long as they did and that Jessica’s death was not on his hands.   
____

When he came back that evening things were much as they’d been when he left. Gabriel was asleep on the third bed, snoring softly against his pillow. Sam was still unconscious, his machines beeping away, his heart rate the same steady wave as before. Dean was sitting up reading something on Gabriel’s tablet. Castiel could see his mouth move, his lips forming the words unconsciously as he read. He smiled at the sight. 

He knocked softly on the doorframe so as not to scare the man but eventually stepped closer when he got no response. Dean jumped, as he had hoped to avoid, and pulled the earbuds from his ears. 

“Damn, Cas. We should put a bell on you,” he said. His tone was annoyed but also playful. Castiel tilted his head to one side as he contemplated the words. 

“Did people used to wear bells? I know this is something they did with livestock but –“ he trailed off. 

Dean laughed, the skin around his eyes crinkling and his face lighting up. “No. No. It was a joke, man. I just meant that way you’d make noise and not sneak up on me.” He said. 

“Ah, I see. I tried to knock.”

Dean nodded, waving the comment away with one hand. He was still smiling and Castiel thought it was the most beautiful thing he’d seen in a long time.

“Were all the men in your time as beautiful as you are?” he said, the words slipping out without his consent, “And Sam.” He added, though he was not sure why. He felt his cheeks burn and looked away. 

Dean chuckled, a deep sound that wasn’t completely natural. When Castiel looked up, Dean was rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, his own cheeks as pink as Castiel’s. 

“I don’t know. I guess not,” he said softly. “Everybody’s different and yeah, Sam and I never had trouble getting dates or anything but I wouldn’t say either of us is beautiful. Not like you anyway.” He finished. He was still looking away, his hand picking at a loose thread in the blanket. 

Castiel wasn’t sure how to respond but before he could, a voice broke in. 

“Will you make a move already? One of us stayed up all night to make sure princess here thawed out ok.” Gabriel said, his voice slightly muffled by his pillow. 

Dean made a gesture with his hand in Gabriel’s direction that Castiel was pretty sure was supposed to be rude and then rolled his eyes. 

“I heard that.” Gabriel’s muffled voice called out. 

Dean grinned. “He’s really your brother?” 

Castiel pulled a chair up to Dean’s bedside and sat. “Yes. Actually the whole crew is made up of our siblings. It’s a family business, you could say.” 

“Yeah I was reading up on you guys a little bit,” he said motioning to the tablet. “Were you really all born in space?” 

“Our parents left earth a few years into their marriage and when they decided to have children, they didn’t see any reason to go back. They were explorers and scientists. They travelled the galaxy looking for places to set up new colonies and reporting back on what they found. When Michael was born they came back in and confined their adventures to this solar system.” 

“So did you grow up exploring strange new worlds, seeking out new life and new civilizations?” he asked, his lips curling into a smirk. 

Castiel shook his head. “No, not exactly.” The look Dean gave him made him feel like he had missed something. 

Dean’s smile faltered. “Nevermind, it’s from an old earth show, sorry. Anyway, keep going.” Dean said, adding, “Please.” 

“We spent our youngest years on board but as soon as we reached school age, mother enrolled us in boarding school at one of the moon colonies. I didn’t come back into space until I was sixteen. Mother died while giving birth to our youngest brother Samandrial, he’s seventeen now. Father needed help, so he called upon Michael who was already working on a different ship. Three years later, Father died and Michael brought Gabriel, Anna, and I back to help him. Once Inias and Hannah reached fifteen he brought each of them back too. It was a –“ he searched for the word, “difficult transition for each of us but I don’t think any of us regret it.”

“Wow.” Dean said. “That sounds kind of rough.” The air around them had become tense, though Castiel couldn’t understand why. He was fine with his life and how things had turned out. Sure, he had been upset, angry even, when Michael came for him at school. He’d had to leave his friends, his teachers, his books – most of them anyway- behind but now, he enjoyed his work and he loved his family. 

“My Dad,” Dean’s voice brought Castiel out of his thoughts, “he was a real piece of work. Our mom died when Sam was just a little kid and Dad never really got past it. He left us at our Uncle’s one day and boarded a ship. He called sometimes, even sent a Christmas card once or twice but he never came back. It turned out ok though. Bobby taught us everything he knew, kept us in school, made sure we had whatever we needed. When I started tinkering with stuff, building machines in the barn out back, he would come ask me what parts I was looking for.” Dean’s smile was sad. “Lots of parents would have been pissed at a kid for tearing stuff apart like that but not Bobby.” 

Castiel nodded. He’d done some research of his own and knew that Robert Singer had been an astronaut (what they called people who went to space in those days) who retired from government service to open his own transport business once Dean had come of age. 

A heavy silence settled between them as they both thought about what the other had said. After more than a few minutes Dean spoke. 

“Hey Cas, did you happen to find any of our stuff when you found us?”

Castiel couldn’t believe they’d forgotten. In all the excitement of Dean waking up and getting to know the man, he’d never given him the bags. 

He stood quickly and retrieved them from the cabinet Gabriel had shoved them into. 

“Forgive me, Dean. With all the excitement I forgot. Here is what we found. A lot of items were lost through the hole in the hull of your ship. I hope this is what you are looking for.” 

He hefted the two bags into the chair he had just vacated and smiled when he saw Dean’s eyes light up. 

“Awesome! The duffel is mine.” He said. He reached for the green bag and Castiel helped him lift it onto the bed. Dean opened the zipper and rummaged inside. He pulled out a shirt and grinned widely, holding it up to his chest. The front of the shirt had a picture of a winged man on it with the words _Led Zeppelin_ at the top. “It could use a wash but this is great. Thanks Cas.” 

“Is this one Sam’s?” Castiel said, motioning to the blue bag. Dean frowned when he looked at it and Castiel was immediately upset that he had asked. 

“No. That was Jess’. Sammy will be glad to have it though, to remember her and all.” 

He looked over at the other bed again and Castiel sighed. “Has there been any change?”

Dean shook his head. “Nah, Gabe said everything looks good. He’s not sure what made me wake up or why Sam hasn’t. Says to just give it time.” He rubbed his hands down his face. “I tried talking to him earlier, when Gabriel went to get lunch. I told him about you guys and a bunch of the stuff you’ve told me. They used to say coma patients could hear you if you talked to them. I don’t know if this technically counts as a coma but it can’t hurt, right?”

“Right.” Castiel said.


	6. Chapter 6

Two days later, Castiel stopped by sick bay on his way out to the Impala. As he approached he could hear sounds through the door, music maybe. He knocked but didn’t wait for a response. When he opened the door, the sound intensified. Gabriel had patched his tablet into the overhead speaker it seemed. 

Dean was sitting on the edge of his bed, his bare feet tapping out the rhythm of the song on the tile floor. Castiel noticed he was wearing one of the shirts from his bag, this one black with a red logo on the front that he couldn’t make out, a pair of loose gray lounge pants, and a pair of garish neon green sock that he must have borrowed from Gabriel. He mouthed the words dramatically and moved his hands in a way that suggested an instrument, though none was present. Gabriel was sitting in a chair nearby, mimicking Dean’s actions with a grin plastered across his face. Between them, Sam still slept. 

“Hello,” Castiel began but both Gabriel and Dean shushed him. He glared at the two of them but stayed silent. He watched Dean and his brother, smiling in spite of himself at the other men’s antics. 

Seven minutes later, the song ended and Castiel let out a sigh of relief. The first part, while different from what he was used to, was appealing but the end of the song had been nothing but fast paced guitar that made his heart jump and made him feel anxious. 

“That was awesome!” Gabriel said, using the word Castiel had noticed he’d adopted from Dean’s vocabulary. 

“I know, right? Ok now you gotta play it again.” 

“What?” Castiel said. 

“Yeah Cas. You can’t just play Free Bird once.”

Both Castiel and Gabriel looked at him in confusion. Dean sighed. “Ok so back on earth there was this thing, this – superstition I guess, that the guitar solo at the end of Free Bird could open the gates of hell but it you played it twice, it would close them again. I dunno man, I can’t explain it.” 

Castiel raised an eyebrow. He had a hard time imaging a man like Dean, who was smart and logical in most things – or so it seemed to him - believing a story like that, much less participating in the ritual. 

Dean groaned and shook his head. “Ah come on, don’t look at me like that. It’s dumb, I know. It’s not rational. But it’s the way I’ve always done it. Don’t you have superstitions up here?”

Gabriel nodded at the same time Castiel shook his head. 

Nine minutes later, Castiel had the beginning of a headache but Dean and Gabriel both looked supremely amused. He glared at them. 

“So what prompted this little concert?” Castiel said. 

Dean shrugged. “I was talking to Gabriel about what I told you the other day – about how coma patients can hear music or speech. He suggested we play something for Sammy. We hooked it to the big speaker so he’d really be able to hear it.” Dean said as he glanced over at Gabriel, they both laughed. 

“So that was one of his favorite songs?” Castiel said. While he didn’t know much about the other man, he still felt like the song didn’t fit. 

“Hell no. Sammy hates that song.” Dean said with a grin, “Was kind of hoping he’d wake up to tell me to turn it off.” He voice softened a little on the words and when their eyes met, Castiel’s chest ached for him. Again, he hoped that Sam would wake soon. 

The moment stretched out but before it could go on too long Gabriel broke the silence. “So what did you come by for little bro? Aren’t you supposed to be heading out here soon?” 

Castiel looked away and patted the pockets of his uniform. The dark gray coverall was standard for all of their crew members. It was utilitarian in design, with thin layers of durable material for warmth and to protect against impacts, as well as a multitude of small pockets. The helmets, gloves, and respirators they wore for work in space fit snugly over the suits. 

“I found this in my bag yesterday and wanted to bring it to you. I assume it’s yours anyway.” He said as he pulled the small protective case holding the photograph out of his pocket. He passed the object over to Dean who swore softly under his breath. 

“Shit Cas.” Dean said. He stood up, still a little wobbly on his legs but gaining strength back each day, and took the three steps needed to close the distance between them. His arms wrapped around Castiel’s chest, pulling him into a tight embrace. Castiel was so startled he didn’t respond immediately but once he caught on, he closed his own arms around the other man and squeezed. 

When they broke apart Dean was staring at the photo again. “This –uh- this is the only picture I have of my mom and I. I thought I’d lost it when I didn’t find it in my bag. Thanks, Cas. Really, this is great.”

The ache in Castiel’s chest turned into something warmer and he smiled. “I’m glad I could get it back to you then.” 

Their eyes met again and Castiel could see Dean’s were a little shinier than normal. He really was glad he could bring the man even this small bit of happiness. 

“About that time isn’t it, _Cas_?” Gabriel said, putting extra emphasis on the nickname. 

Castiel turned to glare at him once more. “No, Gabriel. We had a deal.” 

“So he can call you a nickname but I, your own flesh and blood, can’t?” Gabriel said, clutching at his chest. 

“He hasn’t tormented me with stupid nicknames since childhood and he didn’t make a deal with me that barred him from ever calling me by a nickname again. A deal which you have broken now several times I might add.” Castiel said, pointing an accusatory finger in Gabriel’s direction. Gabriel pouted. 

Dean snickered somewhere behind him and Castiel had to strain to keep a straight face. 

“You are correct about the time though. Dean, I will see you this evening if that is amenable?” 

“Sure Cas, sounds good.” He said, glancing at Gabriel as he said it. Gabriel stuck his tongue out at the other man, causing another round of snickers. 

“I will see you as well, Gabriel.” Castiel said as he turned on his heel and left.   
______

His shift was long as he, Anna, and Samandriel pushed to finishing clearing the inside of the Impala. Tomorrow they would start dismantling the hull. He was tired and his shoulders ached, so he opted to take a shower before heading to sick bay for the evening. 

The hot water beat down on his shoulders and back and he groaned. He rolled his neck, rubbing the sore muscles with his hands. He wondered if Gabriel had given Dean a chance to shower yet or if he had just been giving him the disposable wipes the crew used when they were in a hurry. 

As he scrubbed his fingers through his hair, scratching his nails along his scalp and making himself shiver, he wondered what Dean would do once he was back to full capacity. Would he want to stay on the ship? Castiel would be willing to speak to Michael on his behalf if that was what he wanted. The idea brought that warm feeling back to his chest. 

They hadn’t know each other long but Castiel liked to think he and Dean were friends at this point. It would be nice to have a friend onboard. He loved his siblings and they all got along -- Gabriel was arguably his best friend, although he would never admit it to the other man, who’s ego was already too large -- but having someone else around who wasn’t in the family would be a nice change. 

It wouldn’t be the first time. Gabriel had brought his friend Balthazar onboard for a few months several years ago, but then the two had had a falling out and Michael, who had never cared for the slightly snobby older man anyway, had dropped him off on a passenger ship heading back to earth. Anna’s ex-boyfriend Adam had come with them for about a year until the relationship ended. Castiel had never gotten the full story of what happened but he remembered bringing Anna cookies and holding her while she cried for days afterward. Castiel had entertained the idea of inviting his friend Meg, a remnant of his boarding school days, once but then decided against it. Like Balthazar, Meg was a handful at the best of times and was sure to get on everyone’s nerves soon enough. 

Would that happen if Dean stayed? He doubted it. Dean was charming, with his sincere smiles and infectious laugh. He was a wonderful listener who could draw stories out of a person without them even realizing it – it had happened to Castiel several times already and from how close Dean and Gabriel seemed to be, he guessed it had happened there too. Castiel could imagine Dean discussing trade ventures with Michael, equipment upgrades with Anna, and teaching Samandrial about ancient earth sports (a subject Gabriel had recently turned the boy onto) – smoothly moving from one conversation to the next while making each person feel like the center of the world. 

Or maybe it was just Castiel who felt that way when they talked. 

He felt his cheeks flush at the thought and shook his head. Just then the water sputtered and turned off, his fifteen minute time limit having run out. Castiel grumbled at himself for wasting so much time thinking instead of rinsing as he toweled the left over soap suds off his legs. 

He pulled on a clean pair of slacks and a light blue button up, rolling the sleeves up on his forearms, before heading out the door. He ran his fingers through his hair as he walked down the corridor, having forgotten to brush it – again. He didn’t bother with knocking, just pushed the door open when he reached it. Dean waved at him from the chair beside his bed as he approached, holding up one finger while he turned off whatever he was watching and removed the ear buds. 

“Hello Dean.”

“Hey Cas.” Dean said smiling at him. He had his feet propped up on the mattress but swung them down and motioned for Cas to take a seat on the bed. It wasn’t well made but the blanket had been pulled up to cover the messy sheets underneath and that was good enough for Cas. 

He sat, looking around the room and feeling like something was different. 

“What happened to the cryo-chambers?” he said once he realized that was what was missing. The space at the foot of the beds was now clear and even swept free of lingering dust. 

“One of your brothers, Inias maybe? Helped Gabriel take them out of here a few hours ago. Apparently Michael had a meeting with everyone earlier and told them about me and Sammy. I didn’t know we were your dirty little secret, Cas, or I’d have played up the part.” He said with a wink. 

Castiel felt his cheeks flush but he chose to ignore it. “It wasn’t like that. Michael didn’t want the crew being distracted. Some of my siblings can be rather – talkative about certain subjects. You will provide fuel for their imaginations for some time, I’m sure. I don’t know why he told them now, except I expect Gabriel told him you are doing very well and might want to leave this room eventually.” 

Dean gave a small chuckle and Cas smiled at the sound. “Actually, he came in here and talked to me himself. Michael, I mean.” 

“I’m sorry.” Castiel said, the words slipping out before he could stop them. Dean quirked an eyebrow at him and he sighed. “He doesn’t have the best social skills sometimes. He can be rather – cold. I was hoping to be there when you met, so as to help facilitate the interaction.” 

Dean laughed then, a throaty thing that rang in Castiel’s ears and reverberated in his chest. “Damn. I was going to say he was ok, kind of a dick, but mostly ok. He just came to introduce himself, ask me how Gabriel’s been treating me, and to check in on Sam.” 

Castiel nodded. That sounded like his brother, cool and straight to the point. Michael was probably gauging Dean’s readiness to interact with the rest of the crew in preparation for telling them. He wasn’t upset about it; this was a good thing because now Dean could leave the sick bay if he wanted, but Castiel still wished Michael had given him a heads up. 

“Well, now that you have your freedom, would you like to get dinner with me in the dining room?” Castiel asked. 

“Yeah, sure. Can we wait until Gabe gets back though? I don’t want to leave Sammy alone.” Dean said. He threw a glance over at his brother. 

“Of course, Dean. Did he say where he was going?”

“To his quarters, I guess. Said he wanted to change or something.” 

Castiel nodded. “That reminds me, has Gabriel let you take a shower yet?” 

“You sayin’ I need a shower, Cas?” Dean said with that familiar tone in his voice. Apparently teasing Castiel was going to be one of his favorite hobbies. Maybe he shouldn’t have let the man spend so much time with Gabriel. 

“No. I just thought –“ he started but Dean cut him off with a laugh. 

“It’s fine. Actually a shower would be great. Gabe’s just been giving me these baby wipe things, which are fine for a while but I still feel kinda –“ he made a disgusted face and Castiel suppressed a smirk. 

“Well then, while we’re out, why don’t we stop by my quarters and you can grab a shower. If we wait until after we eat, the timer will have reset and you should be able to get a full fifteen minutes.” 

Dean grinned. “Sounds great.”


	7. Chapter 7

Dean Winchester was in his shower. Naked. 

When he’d offered the use of his bathroom to the other man, he hadn’t really thought about the implications of the offer. He knew his bathroom was relatively clean and had all the necessary products for washing and shaving (Dean was beginning to get a bit of a beard, which Castiel had noticed was coming in with a reddish tint to it. Personally, he liked the look on the other man.)

What he hadn’t considered was that he would be sitting in his bed trying to read a book while Dean stood naked and wet not five feet away on the other side of a door. He shook his head again, trying to banish the thoughts along with the simmering arousal in his belly, and focus on the book in front of him. Dean was his friend and he had just been through a ridiculous ordeal, was still going through one with his brother, he didn’t need Castiel sitting around thinking about him naked. 

He heard the water shut off and the faucet over the sink turn on. Fifteen minutes later, a freshly shaven Dean stepped out of the bathroom, a small hand towel wrapped around his neck. He was wearing jeans this time, an article of clothing Castiel hadn’t seen since boarding school. In space most people wore slacks or lounge pants, jeans being deemed too heavy to pack and transport around. They looked good on Dean though, well-worn and faded, hugging his hips just right. He had on another t-shirt, this one with a picture of a prism on the front and the words _Pink Floyd_ above it. On top of that he had a lightweight cotton shirt in a red and black plaid pattern. 

“Damn Cas. I didn’t expect you to have such great water pressure up here. That was awesome! Man, I feel so much better. Thanks for letting me use a razor too.” 

“Of course, Dean. I’m sorry I didn’t think to offer sooner.” 

Dean waved off his apologies. He flopped down on the bed next to Castiel’s feet, stretching out across the end of the mattress. 

“So is this what everyone’s quarters look like?” He said. 

“No. Michael lets us each personalize our quarters how we see fit. Gabriel’s look much like the sick bay, except with more stuff on the walls and most of the time you can’t see the floor. Hannah’s room is painted green and she has little greenhouse boxes everywhere, with earth plants in them.”

He trailed off as he looked around his own space, trying to see it through Dean’s eyes. The walls were a medium shade of blue, chosen because Castiel found it soothing. He had two windows on one wall with a chair and table between them. A large bookcase took up space on the opposite wall. The case was only halfway full of books; Michael had deemed them archaic and too heavy to carry at one point and had stopped allowing Castiel to buy them. The rest of the shelves were full of trinkets they had picked up in their travels. There was a large moon rock, the gray pitted surface exactly as rough as it looked, as well as several small smooth white stones his father had found on an outer moon once when they were children. Shiny bits of metal sat next to scraps of fabric and even a child’s drawing they had found on a damaged ship. Castiel hadn’t had the heart to destroy something a child had put that much effort into. As far as he could tell, the drawing was of a space station. 

“I like your room Cas. Feels like you.” Dean said, pulling Castiel from his thoughts. He had his arm folded under his head now and he turned his face to look at Castiel. 

“Thank you, Dean. I think it suits me. Would you like to watch a movie or something? We could go back to sick bay if you like.” 

“Nah. Feels nice to get out of there for a bit. Let’s watch a movie. Do I get to pick?” he said with a cheeky grin. Castiel laughed and passed over his tablet. 

Halfway through the film - something about a law officer being trapped in a building with his enemies during Christmas - Castiel noticed Dean was curled up at the foot of the bed, one arm tucked up against his chest, the other under his head, fast asleep. His eyes were closed and in the warm glow of the lamp, Castiel could just make out tiny freckles on his eyelids. His lips were slightly parted around his steady breath and Castiel could almost imagine how soft they would be against his own. Shaking off the thought, he grabbed his extra blanket, careful not to jostle the bed too much, and covered Dean with it. He went into the bathroom to change into his sleep clothes before tucking himself in and turning out the light. 

\--------  
A shrill sound woke him and he came out of sleep disoriented. Bits and pieces of his dream stuck with him; warm water, those rough calloused palms against his skin, a Christmas carol. It all disappeared as soon as the shrill sound repeated itself, seemingly louder this time. Castiel swiped at the shelf by his bed, looking for his communicator. When he found it, he pushed the button and glared at the screen. 

“What.” He said, a bit too harshly for most people. 

“Hey Cassie, shit. Is Dean with you?” Gabriel’s voice cut in. In the background, Castiel could hear something beeping, a rapid fire sound that created a little tendril of worry in him. 

Dean. 

Sitting up, he looked to the foot of the bed and saw only the messy blankets at first but then he made out a pair of socked feet. He pulled back the blanket slightly and sighed with relief. Apparently in the night Dean had moved to lay next to him in the bed and somehow Castiel hadn’t even noticed. 

“Yes Gabriel he’s here, we-“ his explanation was cut off by Gabriel’s next words. 

“Bring him here and hurry. Don’t even get dressed, just get your asses down here. It’s Sam.” He said and then he closed the connection. 

Cas shook Dean’s shoulder, already moving the blankets aside. 

“Dean. Dean, wake up. We have to go. Gabriel called.”

“Wha?” Dean said. He turned his face to look at Castiel and Castiel could just make out the sleep lines pressed into his cheek. 

“Get up!” Castiel said again, pulling the blankets off completely. “Gabriel called. He said something about Sam. We need to go.” 

\-------

Sick bay was brightly lit when they entered. Gabriel and Inias were on either side of Sam’s bed. Gabriel was speaking rapidly to his brother as they passed equipment back and forth over Sam’s prone body. For a moment Castiel marveled at his brothers, a rush of pride filling him. Gabriel with his loud, brash, and sometimes overwhelming personality working so fluidly with Inias, the quiet one, soft spoken, the keeper of all of their secrets, was a sight to behold. 

A mask covered the lower half of Sam’s face, giving him oxygen as far as Castiel could tell. His shirt was open, cut down the middle and splayed wide, exposing his chest. Two large orange patches were adhered to his skin, one over his sternum and another off to the side over his ribs. The monitor behind the bed was beeping rapidly as the wave spiked across the screen. 

“Sammy!” Dean cried as he rushed in. 

He tried to go to Sam’s side but Gabriel stopped him. “Not right now Bucko! I know he’s your brother but I need room to work.”

“Gabriel. What is his condition?” Castiel asked. 

“He’s in cardiac arrest. Inias and I are trying to get it under control.” Gabriel said, his tone clipped. “Inias, go up two and try it again. Thirty seconds this time.” 

Inias nodded pushing buttons on the screen of a machine in his hands. Sam’s body jerked, the muscles of his chest visibly tightening for thirty seconds before releasing. The monitor continued its rapid beeping. 

“One more time.” 

Inias did as he was asked. Sam’s body jerked and Castiel could see Dean’s hands clench into fists at his sides. He reached out, closing his own hand around one of Dean’s fists. Dean glanced at him, his face etched with worry and fear. He threaded their fingers together and squeezed.

The waves on the monitor smoothed out some, though they still appeared irregular.

“Damn it, Sasquatch, I was having a good dream too. Guess I wasn’t paying you enough attention, so you had to get all-” Gabriel leaned in and pressed a hypospray cartridge to Sam’s bicep. “-dramatic.” 

After a moment, the wave went back to normal, and the beeping became steady again. Castiel let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. 

“Leave the pads on but I think we’re past it.” Gabriel said a few minutes later. “Thank you Inias.” He ran a hand through his hair, pushing his bangs out of his face as he looked over at Dean. “I’m sorry, Dean. I can’t explain it. Everything was hunky dory when I went to sleep, next thing I know the machines are going fucking crazy.” 

He stepped away from the bed, motioning Dean to take his place at Sam’s side. Dean did, grabbing the other man’s hand and holding onto it tightly. Castiel brought over two chairs and they each took a seat. He knew he should probably give Dean some space but he also didn’t feel comfortable leaving the man. 

Gabriel shuffled around the room, speaking quietly with Inias while cleaning up the supplies they had used. 

Sam looked pale, his skin clammy to the touch. Dean let out a sigh, leaning forward with his elbows on the mattress, Sam’s big hand still clasped between them. His forehead dropped on his hands and he almost looked like he was praying. 

Organized religion had gone out of favor over a hundred and fifty years ago but some people still partook in their own homes. Castiel had seen people pray at boarding school but had never done it himself. He could imagine, in a time like this, that it would bring a measure of comfort. If that’s what Dean was doing, Castiel hoped it would help him. 

He didn’t know when Inias left or when the lights were dimmed. Gabriel slipped into view, settling himself back onto the third bed. The room was quiet now, the hiss of oxygen through the mask and the steady beep of the monitor the only sounds. 

Dean sat back in his chair, rolling his shoulders, and rubbing his hands down his face. 

“You should get some sleep, Cas.” He said, sounding tired himself. 

Castiel shook his head. “No. I would prefer to stay here, if that’s alright with you.” 

“Thanks.” Dean said, his voice soft. He glanced over, catching Castiel’s eyes. “You’re a good friend.” He reached out and patted Castiel’s shoulder with one hand. His palm was warm through Castiel’s sleep shirt and it lingered a few seconds more than necessary. “You both are. Thanks for what you did too Gabe, and for calling and getting me.”

“Don’t mention it.” Gabriel said. His eyes were closed now, his fingers threaded together on his stomach but Castiel could tell he wouldn’t go to sleep anytime soon. For all his bravado and snark, Gabriel cared about people and had grown to care about the Winchester brothers. Castiel could see tension in his brothers shoulders and knew he’d stay up all night, just in case something else happened.


	8. Chapter 8

Castiel woke up with a crick in his neck. He sat up, rolling it side to side and yawning – apparently he’d fallen asleep in his chair. Next to him, Dean was holding onto Sam’s hand, his eyes pointed at Sam’s face but clearly focused elsewhere. 

The mask had been removed and the blanket was tucked up under Sam’s arms. The remnants of his t-shirt were gone and Castiel could see Sam’s lightly tanned shoulders above the blanket. 

“He looks much better.” Castiel said, his voice coming out rough with disuse. 

Dean looked over at him. “Morning Cas. Yeah, he’s starting to perk up some. Gabriel says the heart attack or whatever might have jump started his system. He was even mumbling something earlier, but I couldn’t tell what it was.” A small, wavering smile crossed Dean’s face. 

“That’s great, Dean. Really.” Castiel said, not knowing how to express the relief he felt. For a moment last night, he had imagined what would happen if Dean lost his brother and the pictures his mind painted were not good ones. 

“Gabe went to get breakfast. I don’t think he slept all night – just drank coffee. He’s really hyper, even for him.” Castiel groaned and Dean let out a soft chuckle. “I was surprised he didn’t wake you earlier.”

“I’ve had years of practice tuning him out.” Castiel said. Dean had dark circles under his eyes and everything about him seemed tired, subdued. “Did you get any sleep?”

“Nah. I’ve just been sitting here thinking.” He said. Castiel saw him tighten his grip on Sam’s hand. “I can’t lose him, Cas. I just can’t. We already lost everyone else and I’m dealing with that. Nothing I can do to change it, nothing I could have done differently back then either. But this –“ he trailed off for a moment. “This is on me. It was my machine and it was supposed to keep him, and Jess, _all of us_ – safe.” 

It was probably too early for this conversation. “Dean, you can’t blame yourself. What you did, what you made, was incredible. The fact that you and Sam made it here at all is a miracle. I saw the damage to your ship and without your machines all of you would have died. You gave Sam this chance.” Castiel reached out, laying a hand on Dean’s knee and feeling the warmth of him bleeding through the rough denim. “You gave yourself this chance and I for one am very grateful for it.” 

Their eyes met for a brief second before Dean looked away again. The only acknowledgment Castiel received was a sharp little nod. 

A short time later, Gabriel came in with a tray of waffles and coffee for each of them. Dean waved him away, saying he wasn’t hungry, so he and Castiel sat on the third bed together and ate. Castiel scooped the whipped cream off of his plate and onto Gabriel’s. Gabriel beamed at him. 

They put on a movie, transferring it to one of the large monitor screens so they could all see. Dean finally tore his eyes from Sam when something on screen made Gabriel laugh. The movie was entertaining in a lighthearted way. The spacecraft shown on screen were so unrealistic as to be laughable themselves and the aliens – Castiel shuddered just thinking about running into aliens like those. 

And then Sam woke up. 

All three of them were focused on the screen, Dean mouthing the words along with the actors (apparently he and Sam had watched this movie so many times they knew all the lines) and then Sam took a heaving breath, his monitors spiking and beeping rapidly as he cried out Dean’s name. 

Castiel didn’t know who moved faster, Dean or Gabriel, but in an instant they were both at the other man’s side. 

“Sammy!” Dean yelled as he rushed toward the bed. 

Sam’s eyes were wild and unfocused for a moment, his hands scrabbling at the wires attached to his heaving chest. When he saw Dean, he grabbed his shirt, pulling his brother to him. 

“Dean?” he asked, his voice was hoarse and strained. 

“Yeah Sam, it’s me.”

“Dean!” Sam cried as he wrapped one arm around Dean’s neck and pulled him into a fierce hug. Dean bent forward, folding into the embrace and wrapping an arm around Sam’s shoulder. 

“You’re ok. You’re ok.” Dean soothed. 

Castiel took a step away, trying to give the brothers space. He could see Sam’s eyes were closed tightly, his face a mixture of fear and joy. After a moment they broke apart, Dean patting Sam’s back as they did. 

“Hey Sammy,” Dean said. He cleared his throat. “Lie back for a minute and let Gabe check you out. Ok?” 

Sam nodded, obviously deferring to his brothers judgement, and did as he was asked. Castiel stayed to the side, out of the way, but close in case he was needed. 

Sam’s monitor was back to normal now, the spikes before having evened back out once he was calmer. Gabe threw Dean a thumbs up sign. Relief washed over his face and Castiel could see then just how tense and scared he had been this whole time. 

“Sammy. Man, I have a lot to tell you.” He said. 

\-------

Castiel and Gabriel left to get lunch while the brothers talked. Gabriel gave Dean his communicator in case of emergencies but he didn’t think they were likely at this point. 

“Whew! I am glad we got out of that room. It was getting heavy in there.” Gabriel said, scrubbing a hand across his face. They sat at a table facing each other, their trays bumping edges. 

“Gabriel.” Castiel scolded, “Sam’s girlfriend just died, in his mind at least, not to mention their parents and all of their friends. Give them a break.”

“I know. I know. I just hate it when people cry.” He said into his chicken sandwich.   
Castiel nodded. They had stayed until Dean was done giving Sam the basics, in case he had any pressing questions for them, but once Dean told him about Jessica, Sam had broken down. His face crumpled in a way Castiel had never seen before, tears spilling down his cheeks. Dean sat perched on the edge of his mattress, holding Sam’s face against his chest and rubbing soothing circles across his back. 

Castiel wondered if Dean had done the same thing for him when as a child. 

Castiel and Gabriel had excused themselves then with a nod and a hand gesture, Dean returning the nod in acknowledgment. 

“It was heartbreaking. I’ll give you that.” Castiel said as he blew cool air across his tea. “I am very grateful that Sam woke up and that they have each other. I can’t imagine either one of them would have done very well alone. They might not have made it all.” 

“Yeah, I know what you mean. They are really close, that’s pretty obvious.” Gabriel said, sipping his drink. “Don’t tell the others,” Gabriel leaned in conspiratorially, “but if I was to get fast forwarded to the future, I think I’d want you there.” His tone was anything but teasing, his golden eyes meeting Castiel’s head on. 

Castiel ducked his head, unsure of how to respond, but then Gabriel let out a small chuckle, “Well you or Alfie. That kid is a hoot sometimes.” 

Castiel let out a breath and then shook his head. “You and these nicknames, Gabriel, I swear. His name is Samandrial. How did you get Alfie from that?”

“What can I say,” he shrugged and a piece of lettuce slipped out of his sandwich, “he just looks like an Alfie.” 

Castiel raised an eyebrow at him but Gabriel wasn’t paying him any attention. 

When they finished eating they made up a tray for the Winchesters and headed back. Unconsciously they both paused at the door to listen before entering. 

“Honneeyy, I’m hooommmeee!” Gabriel sing-songed as they entered the room. 

Sam and Dean both looked at him. 

“How the hell do you know that gag but you’ve never even seen Star Wars. I mean, that was old when Sam and I were on earth, what gives?” Dean said, looking incredulous. 

“That gag, as you say, has been used in many different forms of media,” Castiel began to answer, overlapping with Sam’s, “Dean, you know they reuse jokes like that all the time.” 

They both stopped, staring at one another until Gabriel snickered and a grin broke out across Dean’s face. “What’d I tell ya, Gabe? Two peas in a pod, these two.” 

Castiel and Sam both rolled their eyes, eliciting another round of laughs. 

As with the first time Dean had eaten a meal with them, Sam looked down at his plate in awe. “You mean that thing you and Bobby were working on led to this?” he said as he took a bite of his sandwich. Gabriel had insisted on getting the brothers the same fried chicken sandwich and coleslaw he had eaten. 

“Yup. Freaky right? It even does bacon. And not that wimpy stuff either. Thick sliced and pepper crusted if you want. It’s awesome.” 

“This is amazing.” Sam said, still marveling at the sandwich. 

Both men ate with gusto, Dean because he always ate like that, and Sam because he’d had nothing but IV fluids for the last three hundred years. 

“Dude, did you play Free Bird while I was out?” Sam asked in between bites. 

Dean and Gabriel exchanged a look and then they both started to laugh. “Yeah. We did. I wanted to see if I could annoy you awake.” 

Sam rolled his eyes. “That’s just cold. I could hear it, or parts of it anyway, but I couldn’t escape it. It was like a nightmare.” 

Dean grinned at him. “You’re welcome.” 

“Did he make you play it twice?” Sam said, looking to Gabriel. He nodded and Sam laughed. 

“Come on now, Sammy. What’s the harm?” 

“Dean, the song is nine minutes long. Playing it twice is a twenty minute commitment every single time.”

“Whatever, bitch. So what else did you hear?” Dean’s voice lost some of its bravado and Castiel wondered exactly what Dean had told the younger man while they were alone. 

“Not much, jerk. I mean, I recognize your voices,“ he motioned to Castiel and Gabriel, “and I think someone called me a sasquatch.” 

“That would be me,” Gabriel chimed in. He winked in Sam’s direction and the other man shook his head. 

“Mostly it was like hearing people underwater. Voices but not clear words, you know?” 

They all nodded.


	9. Part Two

“Stupid machine. Apples are all mush, crust is gluey.” Dean mumbled to himself. He had an array of tools spread out around him, a manual propped open next to him, and his hands wrist deep into the control panel of the replicator machine. Castiel watched him from a table nearby and hid his smirk behind the rim of his cup. 

“Dean?”

“What!” he snapped. He turned around and his face softened, “Oh. Hey Cas. Sorry about that. Gabriel keeps bugging me about touching his machine – I thought you were him.”

“Indeed.” Castiel said, taking a sip of his tea. “Can I ask, what are you doing to the machine?” Castiel hid another small smile. Dean’s hair was mussed, where he’d obviously run a hand through it, and his tunic had a grease stain on the front. His eyes were bright and sparkling, alive with something that plucked at Castiel’s heart. 

“I’m fixing it! I tried to order a slice of pie earlier,” Dean pulled his hands out of the panel and wiped them on a small towel. “It was awful, Cas. Like you wouldn’t even believe. So I tried another flavor, it was worse! For having a sweet tooth your brother sure has a messed up idea of what pie is supposed to taste like.” 

Castiel nodded, amused by Dean’s passion over such a small thing. That was Dean though; passionate to his core. In the two months they had known each other Castiel had learned Dean threw himself into projects and topics with a fervor that was sometimes concerning but mostly commendable. 

A few weeks ago Samandriel had been asking him questions about table tennis, an ancient earth sport he was learning about from Gabriel, and Dean had drawn up plans for a game table right there on the spot. He had Anna help him find the materials and two days later they had a table down in storage area three. Playing the game that night, he’d seen Michael laugh for the first time in a long time. 

Dean flopped down into the chair across from him, reaching out to take his mug and steal a sip. He made a face, his lips twisted into a grimace. 

“Ugh. Leaf water.” He said. 

Castiel laughed. “It’s tea, Dean. It’s always tea.”

“Hey maybe I’m hoping I’ll rub off on you one of these days and you’ll have a cup of coffee.”

“Bean water?” Castiel said with a smirk and Dean groaned. “Are you going to help us today?”

“With that satellite?” 

Castiel nodded, taking his mug back and drinking deeply. The warm tea was heavenly and he had Dean to thank for it. As soon as Castiel mentioned the machines making his tea too hot each day, Dean had gone into the panel and tinkered until it came out just right. Castiel had doubled his tea consumption at this point and was thinking about having to wean himself back down. 

“Yes. Michael said it isn’t operational anymore, which is why we are collecting it. Anna and I thought you might take a look at it and see if you can get it working again. It’ll definitely sell for more as a working machine than just parts.” 

Dean ran a hand through his hair, further disheveling it, and making Castiel want to do the same. He drummed his fingertips on the edge of the mug to distract himself. 

“I don’t know, Cas. Don’t you think that’s a little above my skill set. I mean, the replicators are one thing but a satellite?”

Castiel raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Dean, I’ve seen you take apart or fix almost every machine on this ship. I know you read the manuals in your spare time,” Dean sent him an incredulous look and he put up a hand, “I’m not spying on you. You didn’t clear your history the last time you borrowed my tablet is all. There’s no harm in being interested, Dean. You like machines, always have, and you’ve become a real asset to the ship.” 

_And that’s why you should stay._ He thought but he didn’t say out loud. The words hung in the air between them anyway. Dean’s cheeks pinked, his freckles brightening against the new hue. Castiel reached across the table and ran a thumb over one cheekbone. Dean’s eyes snapped up to his and he felt his breath catch. 

“You had a smudge,” he lied as he drew his hand away. Dean’s cheeks brightened and his tongue darted out to cross his bottom lip. 

“Yeah Cas, I’ll help with the satellite. Can you get me a manual?”

“Already done.” Castiel said as he passed his tablet across the table. He put a hand on the screen. “But maybe, put the replicator back together first? People get a little testy when we only have one.”   
Dean smiled and nodded. “Yeah, sure. I was almost done anyway.” 

\------------

The movement of his mattress woke him up. 

“Dean?”

“Shit. Sorry, Cas.” He replied in a whisper.

“It’s fine.” Castiel said. He pulled the blanket back and Dean slid into the space left behind. Castiel wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him close. “Dreams again?” he mumbled, already falling back into sleep. Dean’s shirt was warm and soft under his fingers. 

“Yeah.” Dean’s voice caught in his throat and he swallowed hard, an audible click in the quiet room. “I can’t believe they’re all gone. In the dream I’m walking around Lawrence and everything is different, all the people are different and they don’t even look like people really. I just-“ he groaned and let out a loud sigh. “I keep looking for something familiar and I can’t find anything.”

Castiel pressed a kiss to Dean’s shoulder through his shirt, running a soothing hand across his ribs. “It’s ok to be scared, Dean.”

“Not scared,” Dean mumbled against Castiel’s hair. 

“Anxious then. You’ve seen pictures; you know earth is different now. If you and Sam,” Castiel paused, a familiar tightness in his throat, “If you and Sam decide to go back, it will take some adjustment.” 

“No kidding. I don’t know why Sam wants to go back at all. I guess he’s just curious or something.” Dean said, punctuating the statement with a yawn. 

They had had this discussion before and Castiel felt his heart give a hopeful little thump, even as he tried to suppress it. Dean didn’t really want to leave. He had never said it in those words, probably wouldn’t, but Castiel knew. Dean wanted to be with Sam though and would do whatever Sam decided. Castiel wondered if the younger Winchester even realized it. 

If he was a different man, a selfish man, he would ask Dean to stay. 

Instead he said, “Maybe you need to talk to him about it.” 

Dean made a non-committal noise above him. 

After a few minutes he added, “Go to sleep, Dean. There will be plenty of time to worry about it tomorrow.” 

Dean pressed a kiss to Castiel’s hair and said, “Thanks Cas.” 

When he woke up, Dean was still sound asleep, snoring softly beside him. The daylights in the room were slowly coming on, highlighting Dean’s features. Castiel stared at the man; his friend (best friend really, next to Gabriel) and if he was honest with himself, the man he loved. 

When the dreams started, Dean hid them from everyone – or he tried to. He walked around with dark circles under his eyes and a razor thin level of patience, snapping at anyone who looked at him too long. Castiel had taken him aside and after a heated argument, had pulled the truth out of him. 

When he suggested it, sleeping in his bed, he’d expected Dean to fight him. Dean had a tendency to try to power through things and to act like he was strong for the sake of others, his brother mostly. Castiel had not expected Dean’s face to relax, filled with relief as he practically collapsed into Castiel’s bed. They’d taken a nap right then, Dean clinging to him and falling asleep faster than Castiel had thought possible. Now whenever he had a dream or was overwhelmed with grief, Dean would climb into his bed and allow Castiel to comfort him. 

It wasn’t sexual, although Castiel couldn’t say the thought hadn’t crossed his mind – both of their minds if he was being honest. They’d kissed once, a chaste press of lips that set Castiel’s heart skittering, but Dean had pulled away saying it wasn’t fair, he didn’t want to lead Castiel on, he deserved better than that, and on and on until Castiel had shushed him with soft words. That was the first time it hit him that Dean might actually leave. 

There was still a week left until their ship would be near enough to earth to send the Winchesters back. Michael had offered them both positions on the ship if they chose to stay or to set up transportation for them if they chose to go. 

Castiel’s heart clenched at the thought of them leaving; the uncertainty had caused a dull ache in his chest for weeks now. He rubbed a hand across his chest, ineffectively trying to soothe the ache within. 

Dean stirred. His eyes blinked open, squinted, and then blinked open again. He scrunched the pillow up under his face, gathering it in his arms, and looked at Castiel. 

“Some people would find this creepy, you know?” he said, his voice sounding rough with disuse. 

“Good morning, Dean.” He said, smiling. 

Dean smiled back. “Mornin’ Cas. Thanks for letting me crash here again. It, uh, it really helps.”

Castiel nodded, “Anytime Dean. You know that.”


	10. Chapter 10

“These tacos taste funny to you?” Dean said while still chewing. 

Across from him, Sam made a disgusted face and shook his head. “You are so gross. I don’t know what you see in him, Cas.” 

Dean’s cheeks flushed and he stared down at his plate with exaggerated concentration. Castiel smiled around his peanut butter and jelly sandwich and shrugged. “Your brother is kind and selfless and at times he can even be funny.” 

Dean snorted next to him, lifting his hand in a now familiar rude gesture at Sam and then Castiel. Sam laughed. 

“Seriously though. What’s up with these tacos?” he said. He pushed the plate towards Sam, who humored him by taking a bite.

“Besides being all meat, cheese, and sauce – I’d say nothing. They taste fine.” 

Dean looked over his shoulder at the replicator. “Nah, something is up with that machine. Everything is just a little off lately. Might have to look at it again later.” 

Castiel shrugged, having nothing to add on the topic. He had been eating replicated food all of his life and didn’t know any different. Everything tasted the same to him, the way it always had anyway. 

“Leave the machine alone, Dean. It’s in your head. This-” Sam pointed with his fork to the plate of noodles and vegetables in front of him, “is delicious. Sesame tofu with baby bok choy, snap peas, and sprouts over rice noodles? Damn. I didn’t eat this well at home unless I was celebrating.” 

Dean grimaced.

“Really Dean,” Sam continued, “have you thought about what it took to get here? I mean, I remember the prototype you and Bobby were working on. I saw the plans and I never would have thought it would lead to this. This is amazing! Have you read the reports? These machines basically wiped out hunger on the planet. Wiped it out.” 

Sam’s face was open and eager, his excitement palatable in the air. Castiel turned to Dean, watching his expression change. He liked to think he’d learn some of Dean’s tells by now and he could see that Dean was pulling back from the conversation. The set of his shoulders looked uncomfortable, tense. Castiel wished he could reach out and take his hand. 

“They have replicators in basically every home on the planet and if not, they have community ones that people can just come and use whenever they need to. Without the strain and expense of food, people have more money and time for other things. People are happier and healthier – they live longer too.” Sam was beaming now, the words pouring out of him. Castiel didn’t have the heart to tell him that while the machines had done a lot for humanity, they were not the solution to every problem that the media sometimes portrayed them to be. “That’s not even the half of it Dean. You should see what they’ve done with the big cities-“

“I get it Sam.” Dean cut in, his voice sounding tight and gruff. “The machines are a miracle. Sure, fine. But don’t you miss a home cooked meal sometimes? Bobby’s chili or mom’s tomato rice soup?” 

“Yeah, of course I do.” Sam said, his voice going soft around the edges. Dean sighed and both brothers went back to eating in silence. 

“You know Sam, if you are interested in earth’s history; there are classes you can take through the ships computer system. Samandriel has taken them all and can give you more information if you want.” Castiel said, hoping to break the tension. “I’ve taken a few myself and found them very informative. The lecturers are professors from universities around the world and even a few on the moon colony.” 

“Thanks Cas. I’ll have to check that out.” Sam said. His gratitude seemed real, even if his smile didn’t. 

After he left, Cas reached out and combed his fingers through Dean’s hair. Dean’s shoulders slumped and he sighed again. 

“Talk to me Dean. Everyone else is gone.” He said. It was true, all of the other tables were empty now, the only sound in the room was the soft humming of the ships engine. Dean groaned and leaned into Cas’ touch. 

“I don’t know man. I just –“ he shook his head ruefully and Castiel let his hand drop to the back of his neck, squeezing and rubbing the muscle with his thumb. “I don’t know what to do. Sam is so excited and so fuckin happy but it just feels like he’s forgetting everything we had before. You know? Like, he doesn’t care or something. And I know that’s not it.” Dean looked up, his green eyes glossy with tears. “He sleeps with one of Jess’ t-shirts, you know? Keeps it balled up under his pillow during the day. I don’t think he wants me to know its there but I’ve seen it.” 

“You’re worried if he loses touch with your past, he will lose touch with you.” 

“Something like that, yeah. I can’t lose him, Cas. I just can’t. He’s all I’ve got,” Dean said. He caught Castiel’s eyes again, “all I’ve got from back then anyway.” 

Everything in him was screaming to lean forward, close the distance between the two of them, but Castiel held back. He rubbed Dean’s neck again, squeezing the muscle and trying to loosen the tension there. “He’s your brother, Dean, your family. I know how much he means to you. I also know you are nervous about all the changes around you and I would bet that Sam is too, even if he doesn’t realize it yet.” 

Dean groaned as Castiel worked on a knot between his neck and shoulder. 

“Have you told him about the dreams?”

Dean tensed up again, shrugging off Castiel’s hands.

“No, Cas. I can’t. I-“ he trailed off. 

“So what does he think is going on when you leave the room for hours?”

“I don’t know man. Sometimes he’s not in there – space has got him on a pretty weird sleep cycle. If he does see it, he probably just thinks we’re sleeping together.” Dean said the last part quickly, his cheeks heating up and Castiel looked at him curiously. 

“We are sleeping together.” He said. 

“Well yeah. I mean sex, Cas. He thinks we’re having sex.” 

The look that passed between them was heavy with words left unsaid. Castiel reached out and laid his hand over Dean’s. 

“I still think you should talk to him. He loves you as much as you love him and he will listen to you, Dean. It’s not fair to you, or to him, to put a decision this big on his shoulders – even if he doesn’t realize it,” He said, his heart racing as the words left him, “You deserve happiness too.”

Dean looked away then. Castiel blew out a breath and tried to steady himself. This was the most they’d ever talked about the actual issue at hand and he hoped he hadn’t ruined things between them by trying to bring it into the light. 

“Will I see you later?” Castiel asked, feeling uncertain. 

Dean didn’t answer out loud but Castiel thought he saw a small nod. He squeezed Dean’s hand once before he left. 

\--------- 

Castiel hadn’t seen Dean all day and it was making him nervous. Things had been strained since their conversation in the dining room. When Dean came in last night he didn’t even want to talk; just curled up at Castiel’s side, one arm across his waist and a leg entwined with his. In the morning, he was already gone when Castiel woke up. 

The ache in his chest was sharper now and almost constant. They only had a few days left before it was possible they would never see each other again. Michael had announced that they were going by earth long enough to drop off their cargo and then they would be heading into deep space for at least a year, maybe two depending on what they found. Castiel knew he and Dean could try and keep in touch by messages and video chats, the way he and Meg did, but it wouldn’t be the same. He wanted to watch Dean watch the movies that he loved, see the way his eyes lit up when faced with a cheeseburger or when he beat Samandriel at table tennis. He wanted to share his bed and try to count all of Dean’s freckles before he woke up. He wanted to kiss him, strip him down and run his fingers over every inch of bare skin. 

He sighed as he pulled on his sleep pants and climbed into bed. It was still early but he didn’t feel up to anything more than reading. 

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been laying there, his book propped up in his lap, when the door to his quarters opened. He looked up and saw Dean, his duffle bag slung across his shoulder. 

“Hey Cas.” He said as he shut the door behind him and dropped the bag to the floor. “I know this is a lot to ask and you can say no but can I stay here for a while?” His face was flushed, his eyes rimmed in red and his hands clenched and unclenched at his sides. 

“Yes, Dean. Of course.” Castiel said without hesitation. Dean sighed and his shoulders relaxed a fraction. “What happened? Is everything alright?”

Dean rubbed his hands down his face and blew out a breath. “Sam and I had a fight. He said some shitty things and I walked out. Can we not talk about this right now?”

Castiel nodded. “The shower has some time on it if you need one, or else you can just put on a movie or something. Whatever you need, Dean.” 

Dean looked uncertain for a moment, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth before he took a deep breath and nodded. “Thanks, Cas.” He said as he picked up his bag again and headed to the bathroom. 

When the door clicked shut behind him, Castiel stared at it for a long moment. He knew things between the brothers had been tense the past few days but he hadn’t expected this. He wondered what Sam said and if it was really as bad as Dean thought. He turned on the wall monitor and scrolled through the movie database before choosing one of Dean’s favorites. Hopefully he would be more open to talking once he calmed down a bit. 

Ten minutes later the shower turned off and Castiel smiled when he heard a muffled curse from the bathroom. Dean was just as bad as him about getting caught soapy when the water ran out. 

Dean emerged pink cheeked with messy damp hair a few minutes later and flopped down on the end of the mattress. Castiel was reminded of their first night together like this and he smiled again as he handed Dean a pillow. 

“Whad’ya pick Cas?”

“Indiana Jones and the raiders of the lost ark.” Castiel said, proud of himself for remembering the full title of the film. 

“Awesome. Sexy Harrison Ford and melty face Nazi’s.” Dean said as he settled in and got comfortable, folding the pillow in half and tucking it under his head. 

The movie was almost over when Dean finally started talking. Castiel was half watching the movie and half watching Dean at this point. Dean’s face was so expressive when he was interested in something. Even though he had seen the movie hundreds of times he still reacted to each and every plot twist like it was the first time. Castiel felt the ache in his chest all the more but he couldn’t pull his eyes away either. 

“Apparently we’ll have money if we go back.” Dean started. 

Castiel studied the sentence for a moment, uncomprehending. “What?” he said. 

“Sam contacted someone on earth, someone at the Winchester Singer Company and they told him Bobby did some technical crap, I’m not sure what exactly, but he set up a trust in our names. We can get the money if we can prove who we are. We just have to submit a DNA sample.”

“Wow, that’s – Wow.” Castiel said ineloquently. He had never heard of such a thing; a trust that could be upheld for so long. “How did he do that?” 

Dean shook his head. “No idea, man. Ask Sammy, he seems to get it – tried to explain it to me but it went over my head.” 

A moment later Dean looked back over his shoulder, a small smile on his lips. “He said it has this guy Ash’s name on it though. That guy was a fucking genius with computers. You think I’m good at fixing machines, you should have seen this guy.” Dean paused, staring off for a moment before continuing, “Anyway, it sounds like something he’d help Bobby cook up. Probably didn’t think it would have to hold out this long but if anyone was going to create an airtight account like that, it would be him.”

“Is this what the fight was about? The money?” Castiel asked, knowing that the answer was probably no. The Winchester brothers had never seemed concerned about money, outside of having what they needed to live. 

“No.” Dean’s eyes drifted away. “Sam was just so excited. He was talking about travelling and going to school. I tried to do what you said, you know? I tried to talk to him but he wouldn’t listen, he was too wrapped up in whether or not he should go to Europe or Asia first.” Dean turned to face the screen again, breaking their eye line. 

“He said _I_ Cas, where _I_ should go first. He’s already planning on leaving me behind.” 

Dean’s words were soft, his voice brittle, and it broke something inside of Castiel. He knew this was one of Dean’s biggest fears but he also knew how much Dean meant to Sam and he thought, he hoped, Sam’s enthusiasm probably just got the best of him in this case. 

“Dean, will you come here, please?” Castiel asked, trying to keep his voice calm and steady. 

Dean glanced over his shoulder again and his eyes were wet with unshed tears. They stared for a moment before Dean nodded, a short sharp thing, and crawled up to the head of the bed. Castiel tucked them both in under the blanket, leading Dean to rest his face on his chest. 

“What else, Dean? That can’t be all of it. You were really upset earlier. What made you leave?”

“He was so excited, Cas.” Dean repeated, “I asked him why we couldn’t stay here, why travelling space wouldn’t be enough for him and I don’t know – it was like he couldn’t hear me. He asked me what my problem was, why I was trying to ruin this for him. I didn’t know what to say. It made me so angry though. I mean, I do everything for the kid – I always have. I just want him to be happy but I want him in my life too.” 

Castiel ran a hand through his hair, the other one wrapped around his waist and holding him close. 

“I guess he was pretty pissed then. We said some other stuff I don’t really remember but then he-“ Dean let out a loud sigh, his breath hot against Castiel’s shirt. “Then he asked if my booty call – if you - were enough to lose my brother over.” 

Castiel’s heart thumped madly against his ribs and he squeezed Dean tighter. “Dean, I never – I wouldn’t” he began but Dean cut him off. 

“Yeah, Cas. I know, I know. Sammy doesn’t know what he’s talking about and I told him as much. I told him he had no idea how much you’ve done for me, for us, and that he should show you some respect. He just stared at me and I wanted to hit him, Cas. I’ve never wanted to hit him like that before, so I packed up all my shit and left.”

Castiel pressed a kiss to the top of Dean’s head. “I’m sorry, Dean. I don’t know what else to say.” 

“Yeah, me either.” Dean said, sounding defeated. “I’m just glad I have you at least. You’re a good friend, Cas.” 

“As are you, Dean. And you are a good brother – no matter what Sam says in the heat of the moment. You still have four days –three days,” he corrected himself, _When had it gotten so late?,_ to hash this out. Give him time to cool off and if you want, I’ll come with you next time. Maybe you need a neutral third party – or a semi-neutral one in this case.”

Dean huffed a small laugh and tilted his head up to meet Castiel’s gaze, “Yeah I doubt you’d count as anywhere near neutral, buddy, but I get what you mean.” 

They stared, a habit they had formed early on but neither had cared enough about to break, until Dean leaned up, his eyes darting to Castiel’s mouth. 

“Cas?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper. Castiel leaned down, brushing their lips together. Like last time, his heart raced at the first touch of Dean’s mouth to his. 

The kiss was soft and steady, the heat simmering below it kept firmly in check by both men. It spoke of reassurance, affection, and understanding – not passion. 

When they broke apart Castiel noticed tear tracks on Dean’s cheek and he brushed them away with his thumb. They settled in together, the screen on the wall long quiet, and Castiel turned out the light.


	11. Chapter 11

A knock on the door made Castiel stir, pressing his face more fully against Dean’s shoulder. The knocking continued and he groaned. 

“Dean.” 

No response. 

“Dean.” He pushed at the other man’s side and Dean grunted. 

“Wha?” he said. 

“Someone is at the door and since my siblings know better than to disturb me – I’m guessing it’s,” he stopped to yawn, “for you.”

The knock sounded again and Dean groaned. “Get in here, Sammy!” he yelled. 

Castiel leaned his head up and glared at the man. “That is not what I meant.” 

Dean had an arm draped across his eyes but Castiel saw the small quirk of his lips. 

Sam came into the room quietly, fumbling at the doorframe. 

“Can I get a light or something?” he said.  


“No.” Castiel and Dean answered in unison. 

Sam sighed loudly and stood in the darkness, waiting for his eyes to adjust no doubt. 

“Dean?” 

“What Sam? What do you want?” 

“We need to talk.” 

“So talk.” 

“Uh – Cas?”

“Sam-“ Cas began but Dean cut him off. 

“Sammy, Cas knows what’s going on. He’s fine. You’re not going to kick him out of his own damn bed just so we can talk. Now get on with it or leave. We’re trying to sleep.” 

Dean’s arm tightened around Castiel’s waist and he could feel the tension running through the other man, a faint tremble in his muscles. Castiel knew Dean was on edge, waiting to hear what Sam said, but it was easier for him to use bravado as a shield. 

“Dean, I’m sorry for what I said earlier –“ Sam started. Castiel felt the mattress shift as Sam sat on the edge of it. “Cas is obviously more than – what I said, and yeah.” 

“Yeah. He is.” 

The room went silent for a long moment. 

“You’re my brother, Dean, and I don’t want to lose you.”

Dean sat up, slipping out of Castiel’s arms and leaning back against the wall. Castiel followed, mirroring Dean’s position. Under the blanket, their thighs pressed together and Castiel took Dean’s hand in his own. 

“Didn’t sound like it earlier.” Castiel could hear the hurt in Dean’s voice, even as he tried to cover it with snark. 

“Shut up, Dean. I wish you would just listen to me sometimes.” Sam’s figure was hunched at the foot of the bed, elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. He looked smaller than usual – a skill Castiel had noticed him employ before, he wondered if it was unconscious - this need to make himself appear smaller. 

“Me? You’re the one who isn’t listening! We have a good thing going up here Sam. I don’t know why you want to mess with it. If going back to earth was that important to you, I was willing to go – even though it,” Dean swallowed hard. “It scares the crap out of me, man. But then you start talking about where _you’re_ going to go, what _you’re_ going to do and suddenly I’m not part of the equation anymore! Were you just gonna leave me on the landing strip?”

“Dean!” Sam’s head popped up, his hand coming down to thud on the mattress. “I never said I was leaving you! If anything, you’re the one who wants to leave me! You’ve got a job up here, friends, Cas. What have I got? I thought if we went back to earth we could start over, you know? Both of us. It could be like when we were kids – you and me against the world.”

Dean’s hand was a vice around Castiel’s but he didn’t pull away. “What are you talking about? We are grown men, Sammy, and when we were kids we had Bobby and Ellen and everyone else. Now? We have no one – except each other - and the Novaks.” He stopped to take a breath, loosening his grip on Castiel’s hand and giving him an apologetic look. “Michael said he would find you a job on board. Hell, Gabriel keeps asking me if you’d be interested in working with him. And Cas already told you that you can do school stuff through the computer if you want. As for friends, look around you dumbass- Cas, Gabe, Alfie, Anna – they all like you Sammy! They want to get to know you better but you’ve spent so much time with your head down, researching the planet, you never gave them the chance to!”

Sam was staring at him, his mouth slightly parted. “I guess I didn’t see it that way. It just felt like – like they were pulling you away from me.” 

“Never, Sammy. You’re my brother, dude. Nothing will change that.”

Another quiet moment descended on the room.

Castiel cleared his throat. “He’s right Sam. Even just the little that I have gotten to know you has been wonderful. You’re funny and insightful, not to mention intelligent – all the praise and admiration Dean has of you is very well founded. I think if you choose to stay you would be a great asset to the team and to my family. If you give them a chance, they really are good people.” Sam and Dean were both watching him and even in the dark he could feel the weight of their stares on his skin. “Also, Gabriel has basically been in love with you since we took you out of the cryo-chamber, so-“ he trailed off, a small smirk on his lips. He hoped his bid to break the tension would be well received. 

Next to him, Dean let out a little huff of disapproval, while at the foot of the bed Sam laughed. 

“Is that what all the nicknames are about? Sammich, Sasquatch, uh -Princess?” His voice wavered on the last one and Castiel chuckled. 

“Yes. It’s part of how he shows he cares I guess – or maybe he just likes to be annoying.” He said. 

“He calls you princess?” Dean said his voice full of incredulity. Sam and Castiel both looked at him. 

“So do you, Jerk!” Sam said, his face breaking out into a grin. 

“Yeah but I have older brother rights.” Dean said, pouting slightly, “Bitch.” He added. 

“So I guess we’re staying then?” Sam said, his voice gone soft again. 

“Yeah?” Dean said. He glanced over at Castiel, who smiled at him. His heart skipped in his chest – the hope he’d spent so much time trying to keep tamped down springing back to life and ricocheting around wildly. 

“Yeah. I mean, the earth has been there all this time, what’s another year or two? You think we’ll get some time off after this trip Cas?” Sam said. 

Castiel almost couldn’t get the words out. “Probably. Michael doesn’t usually turn us around this fast but I guess he found something he can’t wait on. If nothing else, we could skip the next short trip and just catch them on the way back.” He blushed as soon as the words were out; realizing he already saw himself as a long-term part of Dean’s life. He was glad the darkness covered his burning cheeks. 

“Sounds good to me.” Dean said, looking over at him. Their eyes met and even in the darkness, Castiel could sense that Dean was thinking of him the same way. 

“Ok, ok. You guys are gross and I can’t believe I sat on the bed this whole time.” Sam said, standing and brushing the back of his pants with his hands. 

“Yeah, you’re definitely gonna want to wash those.” Dean said. Castiel raised an eyebrow at him but Dean just winked. 

Sam groaned and walked towards the door. 

“Cas, I still don’t get what you see in him.” He said over his shoulder as he left. 

Once the door shut, Castiel spoke. “You are just going to let him believe we’ve been having sex this whole time?”

Dean shrugged. “What’s it matter? Now that we’re staying, I mean.” The eyes that met Castiel’s this time were tinged with a hint of insecurity and it made Castiel’s heart thump painfully. 

Rather than answer, Castiel leaned in, wrapping one hand around the back of Dean’s neck and pressing their mouths together. Dean groaned, his own hand coming up to fist in Castiel’s shirt. The kiss was anything but chaste as their tongues met, hot and slick. Castiel moaned too, the noise caught in Dean’s mouth, as Dean’s chest pressed firmly against his own. When he finally pulled away he panted into the space between them. Dean was grinning, his smile a beacon even in the darkness of the room.


	12. Part Three

Castiel pulled a pair of pants out of the drawer with one hand while holding his towel up with the other. 

“Cas! Cas!” 

He could hear Dean’s approach before the other man ever made it to the door and he smiled despite himself. Dean came barreling in, his eyes wild, scanning the room. When they fell on Castiel, he rushed forward. 

“Cas! Baby, are you ok? Sammy said you got hurt out there,” Dean was quickly scanning his body with his eyes, “And your suit was damaged. Shit Cas. What happened?” He reached out and took Castiel’s hand, letting the pants fall to the floor and turning his arm over. 

The inside of his forearm was a mass of bruises, green going to yellow at this point. Down the length of the arm and curling almost to the other side was a shallow pink scar, newly formed. 

“I got caught on something, a loose piece of metal and it cut through my suit.” Dean’s fingers were touching the bruises now, just a soft brush that sent a tingle up Castiel’s arm. “I fixed it and then Sam fixed me once I got back inside. See? It’s almost healed already.” 

When the random piece of metal had cut through his suit, Castiel’s whole world had slowed down. He stared at the tear, watching as the negative pressure caused little wisps of air to escape but didn’t allow the suit to deflate immediately. In that moment Dean’s face had flashed across his mind; Dean’s green eyes sparkling, his laugh and the way his eyes crinkled at the edges, the slack softness of his mouth in sleep. Castiel had jumped into action then, pulling a piece of duct tape (Dean was forever excited by the fact that duct tape was still around and just as useful as ever) and pressing it over the tear. It was a band-aid job but it allowed him enough time to get to the transport vehicle. He hadn’t even realized his arm was injured until he was inside with the artificial gravity and felt the blood begin to pool in his glove. 

Dean let out a sigh through clenched teeth and leaned forward to brush his lips across the new scar. “You scared me. Sammy said it wasn’t bad but still – I just” another brush of his lips. His breath was warm on the sensitive skin of Castiel’s wrist.   
“I know, Dean. I know. But I’m ok. See?”

Dean pressed a kiss into his palm. 

“Yeah I see. I gotta say that machine is pretty cool. Sure beats the hell out of stitches.” 

Castiel shuddered a little at the thought of the archaic method of closing wounds. The idea of a needle and thread being used on flesh and skin was unsettling. 

“Can I get dressed now?” Castiel said. 

Crisis averted, Dean’s mind visibly changed course, his eyes scanning Castiel’s body again. Castiel would have laughed but the weight of Dean’s gaze was heavy on his skin. 

“I think,” he said, his tongue darting out to cross his bottom lip, “You’ve had a long day and deserve a little pampering.” Dean stepped forward, leaving just enough space to make Castiel’s body yearn for him. “Let me take care of you.” He said, leaning down and brushing a kiss to Castiel’s neck. 

Castiel nodded, groaning when Dean’s lips connected more forcefully with his skin, nipping and sucking a mark just behind his ear. Dean pressed forward then, his hand coming up to loosen Castiel’s grip on his towel and let it drop at their feet. His arm wrapped around Castiel’s waist, pulling him close. He could feel the heat of Dean’s chest muted through his t-shirt and he scrambled at the edge, pulling at it until Dean laughed and tugged it over his head. 

The mattress hit the backs of his knees and Dean lifted him just enough to move him to the center of the bed. His rough palms ran down each of Castiel’s calves, squeezing and caressing the muscles there. 

“Just lay back and relax, Baby. Let me do all the work.” He said. His words were hot against Castiel’s thighs and he groaned again. He tugged at the sheets under him, moving them out of the way – having a perpetually unmade bed was a small price to pay for having Dean in his bed each night. 

Dean’s mouth was hot and insistent as it traced a path up the inside of each leg from ankle to knee, knee to inner thigh. He mouthed at the junction between thigh and hip, sucking another small bruise there. Castiel moaned and tangled the fingers of one hand in Dean’s hair. 

Castiel’s cock was hard, curving up towards his belly. He tugged at Dean’s hair as the other man ignored it completely, his mouth continuing its blazing trail up his stomach and to his sides. Dean’s fingers tickled down his ribcage, palms curving around and squeezing softly. In the back of his mind, Castiel thought that this was all part of Dean reassuring himself that Castiel was alright – he had to lay hands on him. 

The thought escaped unconsidered as Dean’s mouth connected with his nipple. He laved over it with his tongue, sucking and biting gently until Castiel hissed and arched into the touch, wanting both more and less at the same time. Dean breathed warm air across it before moving to the other one. He kissed the mole right above it before licking and sucking this one into his mouth. Castiel fisted his hands in the sheets, small _”ah ah ah”_ noises falling from his lips. 

When Dean finally made it to his mouth, he realized they hadn’t even kissed yet. Dean’s lips were plush and soft against his own, his tongue licking into his mouth straight away. Castiel sighed and relaxed into it. He bent one knee around Dean’s waist, pulling his hips down. Both men groaned when their cocks brushed – Dean’s still clad in rough denim that caused almost too much friction for both of them. 

Dean leaned up, fingertips brushing across Castiel’s cheek. “Come on, Cas. Let go. Let me make you feel good.” 

Castiel let his leg drop back to the mattress, sighing when Dean kissed him again. After a few moments Dean broke away. He stood, removed his jeans and socks, and grabbed the bottle of lube off of the bedside shelf. He crawled back up Castiel’s body, pressing them together chest to hips. Castiel groaned at the feel of Dean’s cock sitting hard and heavy against his thigh. 

Dean squirted some lube into one hand, rolling it in his palm before reaching down to grasp them both in his fist. It was sloppy and didn’t quite work but the glide of their cocks against one another still sent shivers up Castiel’s spine. He worked them slowly, root to tip, even as he rolled his hips down; the double sensation of Dean’s work rough palm and his silky smooth cock driving Castiel out of his mind. 

A small whine escaped his throat. Dean kissed him again. 

Dean’s hand sped up eventually, his wrist twisting at the top of each stroke and tightening just so. Castiel panted hotly against his neck, his own hips working now too chasing the warmth building in his gut. Dean groaned, almost a growl. 

“So close, Baby. God you’re fucking perfect, Cas.” 

Castiel mouthed at his neck, biting at the juncture between neck and shoulder and Dean hissed out another moan. He trailed his hand down, wrapping it around where they were joined, his fingers overlapping with Dean’s. He squeezed, allowing Dean to control the pace. The additional pressure was enough and soon Castiel was coming into their combined fists, his hips bucking and back arching off the mattress as Dean’s name fell from his lips. 

Dean grunted, his fist still moving over his cock, the slick sound of Castiel’s come added to the lube filling the room. Slamming their mouths together, Dean moaned against his lips as he spilled over his fist and Castiel’s lower belly. His arms collapsed and his body covered Castiel’s. 

They lay panting together for several moments before Dean’s weight began to bother him and he pushed him to the side. Dean went, laughing. 

“Damn, Cas. I will never get tired of that. God you’re sexy.” He said. Their eyes met and Castiel felt his heart give a familiar little flip flop. “I am a lucky man.” 

“I love you too, Dean.” Dean’s cheeks lit up at the words and Castiel smiled as he brushed a thumb across one. “I’m pretty lucky myself.”


	13. Epilogue

“God, why did I let you talk me into this?” Dean said with a grimace. He held one hand protectively across his stomach while the other intertwined with Castiel’s. 

“Come on, Dean. This trip has been great!”

“Yeah well. I still hate those tube things,” he pointed over his shoulder at the transport tube station they had just walked out of. 

The tubes allowed pedestrians to pass around the cities with ease, eliminating the need for ground vehicles almost entirely. They passed over and around the buildings, creating an intricate network of glittering steel frames and clear cylindrical shapes. Castiel had read about them before but had never spent enough time on Earth to really use them. He thought they were wonderful. 

Dean groaned again. “They make my stomach feel weird. Queasy or something.” 

Castiel stopped and faced him, putting his own hand on Dean’s stomach and rubbing it soothingly. “You want to go back to the hotel? Sam and Gabriel might be back by now – I doubt even Sam could keep Gabriel at a museum for more than a few hours.” 

Dean shook his head. “No. No. I want to eat at a real restaurant, Cas – with real food. I’m not missing out because my stomach is being weird. It’ll settle down once I get a cup of coffee, hash browns,” he began ticking items off on his fingers and Castiel smiled at him, “pancakes, two eggs over easy, and bacon. Maybe a piece of pie if they have it.” 

Castiel leaned in to press a kiss to the corner of Dean’s mouth and Dean’s cheeks lit up. 

“What was that for?” he said, looking around. He still wasn’t used to the idea that two men in love was an everyday occurrence and no one was left who would chastise them for it. 

“You’re cute when you are being a glutton.” Castiel said. He threaded their fingers back together and continued across the plaza. 

It had taken almost the entire year voyage back from Narab-2 just to get Dean to agree to visit Earth. Sam had pushed for it, his curiosity no longer sated by computer programs or travel shows. Dean and Castiel had spent many hours doing their own research and finding places that seemed the most appealing to Dean, the least likely to bring up painful memories. Gabriel had come along to act as a companion for Sam, so that the younger Winchester could go off on his own and not be stuck with Dean and Castiel the whole time.

So far he and Castiel had stayed in the big cities, areas that in no way reminded Dean of the small towns he grew up in and left behind. Their trip to the outskirts would be the closest thing to Dean’s memories of Earth but they had planned for it accordingly. Sam and Gabriel would be with them and they would only stay one night, their last night, before heading back to the ship. Dean wanted to push himself, wanted to test his limits so that next time he would be able to do more and Castiel couldn’t help but feel proud of him for that. The dreams still happened at least once a week but they weren’t as intense now that Sam had told Dean he wanted to stay by his side; had shown him by doing just that. 

The sign out front said _Benny’s_ in authentic neon lights. Dean had found it online while researching for their trip and made Castiel and Sam promise they would go for at least one meal (and possibly _only_ one meal if the prices were as high as Castiel expected). The restaurant boasted rustic North American cuisine completely home cooked – no replicators. It was popular with a certain crowd, mostly people who felt like society had moved too far away from the earth. 

Inside, the décor was a mishmash of antique and modern that Gabriel would have drooled over. They sat at a booth covered in red vinyl that squeaked as they slid into the bench seats. Dean’s eyes were as wide as his grin as he looked around the place. 

“Damn Cas. This place is awesome.” 

Castiel nodded, smiling more at the joy on Dean’s face than the actual environment. He picked up a menu tablet and scrolled through the options. The menu was small and changed with the seasons. He was happy to note that apple pie was listed at the bottom of the page. 

Dean’s eyebrows pinched together and he pursed his lips as he looked through the menu. Dean always took his food selection very seriously and Castiel had to stifle a chuckle. 

Once he placed his order; blueberry pancakes with maple syrup, scrambled eggs with cheese, and tea- he turned to look out the picture window to his left. The plaza was bustling, people walking back and forth to the transport tubes as well as into all of the shops and businesses that lined the square. The buildings were tall all around them and covered in windows that reflected the cloudless sky. Dampeners on each window made sure the sun was never too bright in one place, the reflection kept to a minimum to make the environment as comfortable as possible for the commuters in the tubes as well as people on the ground. A steady diffuse sunlight poured over everything. 

“I can’t believe they got rid of cars. It’s a real shame.” Dean said. 

“They aren’t completely gone, Dean. They just don’t use them in the cities – well except commercial vehicles for transporting goods. You’ll see. When we head to the outskirts day after tomorrow, we’ll find someone with a car and see if you can have a ride. They’re different now though, don’t forget that.” 

“Yeah, yeah electric engines and all that. Man, I miss the rumble of my baby’s engine. She purred like a kitten, Cas.” 

“Baby was beautiful Dean. The cars now are fast though. Remember what we looked up? You said they would average something like a hundred fifty miles an hour in your time. I’m excited about that. I hear you can really feel the motion, especially if you turn the force dampeners down. I want to feel it – being pinned to the seat-“

“Feels like flying.” Dean said. His smile was soft now and when they caught each other’s eyes they held the look for a long time. Eventually someone approached the table carrying a tray and they were forced to look away. 

“Well hey there fellas. Name’s Benny. Glad you came in to eat with us today.” The man’s voice was deep and had a slight accent to it. He was tall and broad, bigger than Dean even, with bright blue eyes and a lopsided grin that Castiel automatically liked. He began unloading steaming plates in front of each of them. Castiel’s mouth watered as he watched a thin yellow square of butter melt on the top of his pancakes. “Enjoy your meal and if you need anything else, don’t be afraid to use your tablet or just wave me down, ok?” 

“Wow.” Dean said, his voice a reverent whisper. Castiel hummed his agreement. 

He closed his eyes as he chewed his first bite. The blueberries were tart, the pancakes light and buttery, with just the right amount of crispness at the edges. Everything tasted so much more intensely than he was used to – the flavors were the same only heightened. His eyes fluttered open when Dean groaned loudly across from him. He laughed and Dean looked up from his plate with a smirk. 

“This might have been a bad idea.” Castiel said as he heaped another bite onto his fork. The maple syrup was clean and sweet, sticking to his tongue. “I don’t think the replicator food will ever taste right again. Now I see what you’ve been complaining about.” 

Dean nodded across from him, his mouth too full to speak. He motioned with his fork to Castiel’s eggs and Castiel reached for a bite of them. The cheese on top was a deep orange color, melting into the eggs and trailing strings from his fork when he lifted it. It was sharp and salty. 

He held out a bite of his eggs to Dean, who accepted it with a wink. He let his lips linger on the tines of the fork and Castiel felt his cheeks heat a little at the images it conjured in his mind. 

Dean chuckled and went back to his own plate.

Soon, Benny came by and dropped off two plates of apple pie. Castiel had never cared much for desserts, so he had never tried the replicated version, but when he took his first bite he was still certain that this pie was worlds above anything the machines could make. Dean groaned, long and low, slamming his hand down on the table after his second bite and exclaiming, “Damn, that’s good pie!” 

Benny’s warm laugh floated out to them from the kitchen door. 

The apples were crisp and still had just a little bite to them while the filling was warm, sweet, and a little spicy. The crust flaked away under his fork as Castiel picked up another bite. 

“Cas, this pie might just make up for the tubes, man. This is amazing. It’s almost like my mom’s except I think she put more vanilla in it. Still – so good!” 

Castiel nodded along with Dean’s comments, smiling at him around his fork. 

The pie was soon gone and Dean sighed with contentment as he drank his coffee. He reached over the table and took Castiel’s hand in his, brushing his thumb across the backs of Castiel’s knuckles and sending little shivers up his wrist. 

“Thank you. For coming on this trip – hell for planning this trip – and for you know, supporting me.” Dean said. He looked away, watching their clasped hands. 

“Dean. I love you, you know that, and I’ll support you as much as I can for as long as I can.” He squeezed Dean’s hand with his own. “Finding you on that ship was the best thing that ever happened to me” he said, and then hoping to make Dean smile, he added, “well, besides that pie.” 

Dean laughed. His face lit up like always, the skin around his eyes crinkling, his head tipped back. Castiel grinned at him and kissed his fingers. 

“Never change, Cas.”

**Author's Note:**

> On Tumblr at [DestielTrashland](http://destieltrashland.tumblr.com)


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